


Bonds

by Eberrylee



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Attempted Kidnapping, Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, Feels, Fluff, M/M, Memory Loss, Mildly Dubious Consent, Omega Darcy Lewis, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Slow Build, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-04 05:27:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 51,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5322158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eberrylee/pseuds/Eberrylee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Bucky”</p><p>The whisper soft words fell from his lips without conscious thought. He knew that scent. He couldn’t forget it, he wouldn’t forget it. He took another long, deep breath. For the first time since waking, his mind was clear, he had one purpose: Bucky. He was here, in the tower, in the common room. He wanted to laugh, he wanted to cry, he wanted to growl and reclaim him; Bucky was HIS. He paced fully into the room, finding it empty except for the dark headed figure wrapped in an iconic red, white and blue throw on the center couch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. This is not a meet cute

**Author's Note:**

> This is mostly Age of Ultron compliant. Our intrepid hero starts his journey after Ultron declares "war" on the Avengers.

“JARVIS...” Silence greeted Steve as he made his way to the bank of elevators on his floor.

Right, JARVIS had been killed, disassembled, fractured beyond repair less than 48 hours ago. How would Tony function without the AI? Do the suits still run? They must, Tony was heading out with the rest of the team to investigate the Vibranium dealer. Steve’s thoughts swirled around the events of the past few days. This could splinter the team; permanently,fatally even! Stark was smart, but he was impulsive and pushy, why did Banner agree to hide what they were doing with the staff. He hated bullies.

The elevator dinged, and Steve stepped through the threshold.

“Bucky”

The whisper soft words fell from his lips without conscious thought. He knew that scent. He couldn’t forget it, he wouldn’t forget it. He took another long, deep breath. For the first time since waking, his mind was clear, he had one purpose: Bucky. He was here, in the tower, in the common room. He wanted to laugh, he wanted to cry, he wanted to growl and reclaim him; Bucky was HIS. He paced fully into the room, finding it empty except for the dark headed figure wrapped in an iconic red, white and blue throw on the center couch.

Steve stopped short, Bucky was not here. Steve lost all sense of time as he stood staring down at the woman before him. She might have been familiar, she must belong in the tower to be allowed up so high. Tony might be a pain to deal with, but he was paranoid and did not tolerate interlopers. It still smelled like Bucky was here, or he had just left, or the girl brought Bucky’s scent in with her. Why did she smell like Bucky. Steve advanced.

She was small, but, most women were to him now. Fair skin, dark hair, red lips - god, had he woken up in an alternate dimension and Snow White was sleeping on the couch. Steve checked for stray apples. The shock of NOT finding Bucky in the room began to recede and Steve felt the same crushing despair that he had on the bridge in DC. Steve fell to his knees.

She was a mystery to him. Beautiful really. Peaceful in a way that he hadn’t been since the bombs fell on Pearl Harbor. He envied her in that moment. There was a discarded iPod on the end table, bright purple earbuds falling to the floor. She was at home here, in this century, belonged in this city, relaxed in this tower. For a brief moment, he imagined himself looking down at a sleeping Peggy. He let the seeds of the dream grow in his mind, just for a moment. Steve breathed in again.

He smelled lavender and vanilla mixed in with Bucky’s scent. His eyes dilated, the alpha in him gaining purchase over his rational mind. He smoothed the hairs away from her face, his hand trailing past her jaw and down her neck. He brushed the fabric of a scarf away from her collarbone to reveal a still fresh bite. The alpha in him roared to the surface.

Erskine had been right. Every trait, not just the physical was enhanced by his serum. Steve’s unique upbringing as an alpha with little strength had provided him the years of restraint he would need to keep his strong alpha tendencies under control. Bucky would have laughed to think that some considered scrappy Steve Rogers “restrained.” 

The omega sleeping on the couch had no knowledge of the danger she could have been in. Asleep and defenseless in front of the world’s most powerful alpha, biology took over, and as if sensing the alpha’s distress, she hummed a low calming note, canting her body towards his. Steve slipped an arm under her shoulder, bringing her off the couch and into his embrace. It was something bondmates did, this unconscious magnetism, and Steve would have been appalled if he hadn’t already been lost to his baser instincts. Darcy nuzzled into Steve’s neck baring her’s in the process, purring in contentment as Steve dipped his head and began to slowly lick the bonding bite mark on her right shoulder. He hadn’t made the mark, and maybe this was a mistake in his unique biology, but he still laid claim to her. He took in her blood and healed the mark with his enhanced saliva forming a new bond on top of the fledgling one.

Dawn triggered the automatic shades in the tower to transition from night mode into day. The additional light brought Steve into some semblance of awareness. He needed to take care of his bondmate. Were they bonded? Regardless, she couldn’t be safe laying out in the open. Standing with her in his arms felt right. He was complete. He couldn’t do anything for Peggy, but, he could take care of this woman. Walking back out the way he came, Steve entered the suite he had commandeered the previous evening, arranging her on the bed and her personal items along with an extra bottle of water on the bedside table. She would sleep for hours yet, perhaps not even waking until after he returned. For now, he would leave her in the closest place he had to a home. He would fully claim her when she was awake and aware. Steve had a mission to complete.


	2. The right side of the bed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not read if you haven't seen AOU. Seriously, spoilers.

Darcy awoke slowly. She looked to her right, found an unopened bottle of water next to her glasses and her charging phone. First order of business - call Jane, scratch that. First order of business, figure out where you are. Expensive sheets, Stark Industries logo on the water bottle, impressive view of New York’s skyline, she dialed Jane.

“Hello”

“Jane, I’m not sure what happened, but, I think I’m in Stark Tower”

“Darcy! Oh my God! you have been gone for a week, Thor and everyone are hiding because the Hulk leveled a city, Hill won’t tell me anything, typical of SHEILD, or whatever they call themselves now...wait...you think you are in Stark Tower. Where?”

“Yeah, I’m a little hazy on the details, I remember making a coffee run, and I feel like I’m coming out of a heat, I think. There were men!”

“Where?”

“There’s cotten in my head. Men and a van, I was hit with something I think…”

“You were SHOT!”

“No no, like a dart, super spies, and umm, and then I woke up here?” Darcy sighed. “I dreamed about the guy from DC, shirtless. Definitely a heat dream. Do you know how sexy long hair and a day or two of stubble are? Of course you do, you already won the ultimate Alpha lottery.”

“Focus Darcy, JARVIS is down, so I don’t know where you are in the building, can you come to the labs. Wait! Are you wearing clothes.”

“God Jane, yes, I’m fully clothed. Shoes are tucked beside the bed, weird.”

“What’s weird? The shoes, are they not yours?”

“Nope, they’re mine but, it’s a clue obviously. I wasn’t here alone, I don’t line my shoes up by the bed on a good day. I don’t think I had my heat here either.” Darcy paused “Oh thank god, I don’t feel a mark. Back up, did you say I’ve been missing for a week?”

Darcy met Jane in her lab where she was promptly escorted to Dr. Cho’s medical suite. She tried to organize her thoughts on what happened but everything was still so fuzzy. She remembered the plane back New York. The hunt for Jane’s checked bag. Why couldn’t she forget something useless like waiting in line to get through customs? The taxi ride was fuzzy, was the destination Stark Tower or Columbia University?

“Jane, after we got off the plane, where did we go?”

“Here, to the tower. You don’t remember that?”

“No, no. I do, I was just checking that I had it right in my head. We got out of the taxi, Happy met us at the door, and we went inside, and I’m drawing a big fat blank boss lady.”

“Happy sent our luggage to our suite, and then he escorted us past security to the lab where YOU promptly declared the coffee unsuitable for human consumption and headed out to that little hole in the wall you love on the corner. I picked you, and our latte’s up and we headed over to Columbia to set up. You knew that Tony was throwing a party that night, and you wanted to go to it instead of staying at the astrophysicists evening reception. It was boring, I should have gone with you.”

“Janie it’s OK, I’m fine. Did I make it to the party? I didn’t challenge Clint to beer pong again did I?”

“What, no. You left for the tower after I had finished my speech. At first I was thankful that you weren’t in the tower when I got there. I thought maybe you had gone back for the beta barista with a crush on you…”

“Jane I don’t randomly sleep with guys.”

“I know, I know” Jane sighed and continued her story. “I checked the coffee shop, no one saw you. They would have, he was working that day, blue hair in all it’s glory. He never saw you come in. I checked everywhere that afternoon. Thor was out looking too - probably hurt the effort more than anything. People would either clam up when he asked if you had been seen, or they would rush over with NO useful information.”

“Jane, honey bear, can you blame them?”

“Yes, you were missing Darcy! The world is ending and I couldn’t find you! Whatever happened it was outside the tower and in a gap between security cameras.”

“So, you think professional spooks got to me. Hydra?”

Dr. Cho entered the room. “If they did, they didn’t leave any trace. Scans and bloodwork all came back clean. I don’t see any evidence of foul play, no marks or blemishes on your person. I can confirm, you are coming down from a heat. It could have given you the adrenaline push you needed to break free from a captor.”

“I was on suppressants, how could a pre-heat mini-hulk-fest even happen?”

“Some paralytics and tranquilizers have the opposite effect on suppressed omegas. They might have had poor intel, thought you were a beta, and hit you with the wrong drug. Darcy, this is all speculation, I can’t find anything in your blood work for an actual theory. You are 100% normal for a young woman coming out of a heat. The best I can do is to say that you are healthy and safe.”

Happy sheepishly knocked at the threshold. “Hey Darcy, I’m sorry, with the gap that JARVIS left, I didn’t realize that Jane didn’t know you were back in the tower. My team has been doing everything we could to find you, I’ve been interrogating the everyone on duty: security, staff, couriers, the regular’s around the building. Day three, you waltzed into the lobby, gave me a wave and said you needed a nap.”

“You mean you KNEW and you didn’t tell anyone??” Jane screeched.

“Ms. Foster, the tower was in complete chaos. With JARVIS gone everything was falling apart at the seams. I wasn’t withholding information from you. How could I guess that she would stay missing, WITHIN the tower for another two days! She rooms with you!”

“She could have been injured, concussed, she was obviously confused about where my room was since she didn’t wake up there!” Jane’s fists were balled so tight Darcy thought she might be drawing blood.

“She was lucid when she walked through the doors.” Happy tapped his chest, “She had her badge clipped to her shirt.”

“Oh, you were staring at her boobs!”

Happy sputtered as Darcy threw her hands up interrupting everyone.

“STOP! Stop yelling, why do you keep saying JARVIS is gone. JARVIS.” Darcy paused, looking to the ceiling. “C’mon buddy speak up, you are starting to worry me, O.K.”

“Darcy, a lot has happened while you were out.” Jane seemed to gather her resolve, “While we were at Columbia, something happened in the lab. Something took over JARVIS, and now he has a robot army and is attacking the team.”

“You’re telling me HAL is real.”

“No, well, yeah. But that isn’t the point. I got a call from Eric. Thor was with him, they went out to a cave to do ancient viking things. Eric said he was really freaked out, I didn’t want to leave New York until I had found you, I couldn’t. But now, you’re here, and if Dr. Cho says it’s safe for you to travel then we need to get out of Stark’s tower. This thing is looking for revenge.”

“I’ve got a driver on standby, and there is a plane ready to take you back to New Mexico.” Happy looked proud. “It’s unmarked, and not traceable back to Stark. You’ll be safe in it.”

“Darcy, if you feel fine to travel, you are free to do so. Some omega’s don’t like to travel so soon after a heat, but if you feel up to it, there is no medical reason for you to stay here.”

“Thanks doc, I’m good to go.” Turning to Jane, “Let’s grab my bags and head on boss lady.”


	3. This is a meet cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Darcy met Bucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I can say is THANK YOU! I cannot explain what your comments mean to me. I'm am thrilled that you like where this story is going and I truly hope I can keep you all on your toes.

James looked down the scope of his rifle, crosshairs centered on his new bondmate. It had taken a bit of finess, finding the perfect vantage point to look through Stark Tower’s polarized windows. She looked so beautiful with her hair spilling down the side of the couch. She was a liability. 

The wind was whipping his hair, it reminded him of Darcy, she was a whirlwind too. His memory was clear now, he remembered yesterday, and the days before that as well. Maybe he remembered too much.

* * *

She entered his life in DC, outside the Smithsonian, she wasn’t paying enough attention. He saw it before it happened. A six year old boy, tugging lose from his mother’s hand, increased momentum and not enough coordination would result in the boy knocking into the woman’s brown boots as she transitioned her weight from the right to left foot. A three inch heel increased her chances of falling by 30%. She was struggling with a bright pink cord, her phone and the coffee she had just purchased. Inattention would increase her chance of falling by another 20%. James changed direction. He observed her stride and demeanor. An additional 8%, she wasn’t clumsy. The boy was wearing a satchel on his back. 10%. The extra weight would further throw both parties off balance. The pavement was pitted 12%. He estimated at least an 80% chance that she would hit the ground.

“Johnny, get back here!” The mom yelled out as her child broke free.

Darcy hit the ground. “Goddammit! These were brand new! Fucking kids!” 

He might have liked the way she swore, but he really liked the way she smelled. Lavender and vanilla. She was an omega, on suppressants. She wouldn’t be hard to track.

He held out his right hand, “Are you hurt?”

“If you follow that with ‘when you fell from heaven,’” Darcy said mimicking the prototypical alpha voice, “I will slap you.”

James smiled, she was a spitfire. “Seriously, kids have no respect. Can you stand?”

“I’m fine nothing hurt but my buds, and maybe a minor wound to my pride.” 

Ah, the earbuds had been damaged when she fell. He hadn’t anticipated that. As he pulled her to her feet he thought of how to prolong this interaction. His first instinct was to lift a new pair from a passerby. His second instinct was to give her his name and show her that old world Bucky charm.

“I’m James, I can’t do anything about the electronics, but can I buy you a coffee to replace the one you lost?”

She gave him a thorough once over. Heavy boots, worn clothes, not a tourist. Ball cap and long hair, not military either. His face looked sweet and he smelled divine, Darcy had never been good at scenting people, but he smelled like a Beta to her. Safe then. “Sure, but it’s a chai latte, not coffee.”

Bucky walked up to the coffee stand “One chai latte and one coffee, black, please.”

“Name?”

Bucky looked back at Darcy, raising a brow. 

“It's Darcy.”

* * *

Darcy would run into James several more times that month. He was ahead of her at the grocery store. Passing by when she stood in line at a hotdog stand. 

He smirked when she entered the coffee shop. Hydra might have fundamentally changed him, but there were perks to his ‘upgraded’ designation. Besides the standard alpha pheromones, he could track her scent, he knew where she frequented and her scent was especially heavy in this little shop. The data dump from SHIELD’s fall gave him a surprising amount of information on the busty brunette. She WAS a spitfire, and he intended to make her his after he reconciled with Steve. 

He watched her and Jane order their breakfast beverages, another planned meeting on his part. He needed to ensure Darcy’s friend approved of him. Unbonded omegas were often unsure, and too easily swayed - probably left over from pack life - and if Jane didn't trust him, he would never win Darcy when they got to New York. He knew they were flying internationally and then coming back stateside in the coming weeks. He would be set up in New York by then. 

“Jane” Darcy whispered to her friend, “look, it's James.” She sighed, “Isn’t he dreamy?”

“What, where? Oh, grey shirt green jacket, is he waving at us? Bit bold for a beta, don't you think?”

“Jane! It's rude to talk about designations out loud, in public, shhh! Anyway, I'm going to marry that man.”

“Afternoon ladies,” he held his hand out to Jane, “I'm James, you must be Jane, Darcy talks about you all the time.”

He helped Darcy out of her coat and pulled out her chair. He was going to offer the same to Jane but he could smell the wariness wafting off of her. “Your order is up, mind if I grab it for you?”

Darcy beamed at him “You're the best! Grab some extra napkins too.”

He tipped his head and turned to gather their order while listening on their conversation. Some enhancements were more useful than others.

“Jane, be nice!” Darcy admonished her friend. She needed Jane to like James, desperately. 

“Why, you weren't nice to ‘seabass man,’ you embarrassed me at that restaurant, acting like I never wear lady clothes and don't shower! That was rude, turnabout is fair play!”

“You call him Seabass too, don't deny it. But really, I like James, and he is moving to New York soon.”

James sighed, he could smell the suspicion clearly on Jane. Darcy was so eager, he was going to have to figure out how to salvage this. He set the drinks on the table and fished around in his pocket, placing a package on the table. Betas were often too flighty, their designation didn't have the same biological imperative to bond. Some scientists believed they were the future of the human race. He was consciously keeping his scent as close beta as he could, being an alpha made you stand out, and he didn’t need that kind of attention right now. He also needed to appear invested in the long term, to make Jane trust him, but not get so close as to appear as if he was lying when Darcy found out the truth. 

Darcy looked to James, “what's this?”

“A present for you, I know your last ones got busted up - and I saw these in a shop window, and they just screamed Darcy.”

She opened the package, squealing in delight at the bright purple earbuds, “James! These are awesome! I've been living with Jane’s hand me downs! Thank you” she jumped to her feet, wrapping him in a hug and kissing his cheek. It felt...good.

Darcy stepped back, a slight blush tinting her cheeks a lovely pink. 

“I’d do anything for you, anything to keep you smiling.” And it was true. She was a fresh ray of sunshine, and he wanted to bask in it for the rest of his life. He smiled down at her, “I've got to run right now,” he ducked his head, “are you free for dinner?”

Darcy looked to Jane, “Go on, but be home by midnight, I've got a conference call with London.”

“Thanks boss lady, you're the best!” Turning back to James, “time and place?”

“I'll pick you up at 7.”

* * *

He let the memory fade as his old bondmate approached Darcy. The punk was still wearing the red white and blue. He knew that he had made the right call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still world building. One more chapter and the stage should be set!


	4. The Wrong Side of the Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ultron is defeated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for Age of Ultron.

Steve’s mind was reeling. Every time he closed his eyes he saw an omega with long dark hair, dressed in Peggy’s red dress. She swayed to the band’s music in a 1940’s dance hall while twirling a purple cord around her fingers. She was wearing knee high brown boots, they were modern. She was calling to him, asking him to take her home to Bucky and their child. 

He wanted the girl with the long dark hair and purple cord to be real. He slammed the ax into another piece of wood. The images the enhanced had put in his mind were a terrible mix of the life he could have lived with Bucky and Peggy and the future he doubts will ever come true. 

His mind had been hazy on the morning’s details before the encounter in the smuggler’s den. A warm body, dark hair, glass crunching under his boots. He remembered tucking her in his bed, he could see the bonding bite. He thought he remembered that, but it made no sense. Someone would have noticed if he had picked up a random omega, he couldn't get drunk, and someone WOULD have noticed if he lost control and just TOOK an omega and bonded with her. It just wasn't realistic to think he had actually experienced any of it. Simple answer: he was retroactively filling that morning’s dream with the details from his vision.

* * *

They had completed the mission. 

He stood atop the flying city, and made his peace. The vision in his mind wasn’t his future or his past. It was the unattainable. Bucky had been avoiding him since SHIELD fell. The chances that he could even find an omega that matched him and Bucky were astronomically low even before he thought about their combined baggage. 

The view had been beautiful.

* * *

On the farm, Stark was right not to trust his demons. He was a monster. His demon was a red white and blue blanket that he couldn't find in a half destroyed tower. He still wanted to believe in her. Believe that she was real, that had found another mate, a compliment to him and Bucky. He had searched everywhere, he even went so far as to call local hospitals asking about any suspiciously violent bites on women. If he had lost so much control that he didn't fully remember bonding a girl, he could have broken her bones, or worse. 

He felt sick. 

He took a chance and called Pepper, “I know this sounds odd, but when I left the tower, there was a blanket in my suite, patterned after the stars and stripes.”

Pepper interrupted him, “Did Tony do something to it, was it important?”

He knew she was thinking that Tony had taken off with something from his previous life, he had to shut that down before she made it into a bigger deal. Hah. What could be a bigger deal than bonding an unknown woman? Since she obviously didn’t exist, he supposed anything was. “No, it's fine, just something I thought I saw out of the corner of my eye. I’ll see you in New York?”

“It was good hearing from you Steve, take care.” Pepper cut the line.

Steve saw Natasha glance in his direction. He was an ass. Looking for an imaginary girl while half his team was dealing with real heartbreak. It was time to go back to being the Captain. “Stark’s prepping a new base for us. He says we will have it in a week, maybe two.”

* * *

Yes, they had won, but at what cost. Banner was in the wind. Steve stood in the new Avengers training facility, Natasha by his side. Wanda was still grieving. He remembered what it felt like when Bucky was ripped from his life. Having a mission was the only thing that got him through it; he didn't know how to help her, she wasn’t a soldier.

He still felt his bond with Bucky, but it was different. 70 years on the ice and the bond between them was still changing, he worried that something worse had happened to his friend.

He spent the next weeks with his new team. Training exercises and drills filled his days. Team bonding, and worry filled his nights. When the first solid lead came in on Bucky’s activities he was ready to go. He had felt the distress spiking in his bond and he knew it was time. He left Nat in charge of the base, Sam in charge of defensive maneuvers and headed out.

He thought of the girl in his dreams less and less each day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure which chapter to post first, Steve's update or Bucky's flashback, so, you get both today!


	5. Science on a plane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conversations between our friends in New Mexico.

Science on a plane 

Jane slowly opened her eyes, looking at the friend she had just gotten back. 

Darcy’s face was illuminated by the onboard computer. A dull voice was coming from the tiny speakers “Omegas often show surprising strength when cornered, especially when beginning their mating cycle.” Ah, she was watching a documentary. 

“Biology 101?” Jane quipped. 

Darcy startled, slamming the laptop shut. “Oh, you're awake, thirsty? These stewardesses kick ass!”

“Your attempt at subterfuge has failed. Why are you still looking at that stuff?”

“What's it matter?”

“Obsession isn't healthy.”

Darcy raised an eyebrow at her friend. 

“Ok, that might be some pot calling the kettle black. I'm serious, though. Why?”

Darcy tucked the laptop back into its slot in the cabin. “Because, I don't know what happened. Your science brain should be more understanding. Something happened to me. I just can't see myself breaking out on my own, I'm watching these videos of random berserk omegas, and then I'm looking at footage of SHIELD opps, and I don't see how I could have escaped. I checked my taser. One charge is missing.”

“So, more evidence in an attempted kidnapping or at least an assault. Is this what you've been doing the whole time I was asleep?”

“Yeah, I tried finding myself first.”

“Meditating or were you yoga-ing on a plane?”

“That's not even a real word. I was looking online”

“Of course you were”

“Stop interrupting me! I was looking on social media sites to try and find some shaky cell phone video of me busting up some dudes. No dice.”

They both felt the tremble of turbulence. Darcy pushed her tray table up and leaned back in her seat, looking out at the sky, “Pilot said we will be landing in another 20 minutes.”

“That's probably what woke me.”

“How did you survive without Thor for two years.”

“You miss him” it wasn't a question. 

“Yeah. I thought he could be the one.”

Jane sighed. First Darcy was going to marry the beta sportsman at Culver. She ran away, straight into the desert, rather than explain that she didn't think that chess was a sport. Next was Ian. He was a beta, but had saved her in Greenwich. For ten minutes she could picture him as the star alpha in a romance novel. Adrenalin wore off, and she wasn't interested. Now she was talking about a beta that screamed alpha. Darcy didn't realize she didn't like beta men.

Jane tried to keep Darcy from dwelling on the missing days, as the plane taxied down the runway. “Why does he call you doll?”

“We watched some gangster movie from the 40’s he thought it was cute.”

“You like the pet name?”

“Like you have to ask. I call you all sorts of pet names.”

“Yes, but from him?”

“Yeah, of course from him. I know, I know. You think it's crazy, like I'm moving too fast.” Darcy eyed Jane again, “I just wish that he had already moved to New York, if I had been with him, he would have jumped up to protect me. And then taken me back to his place, where we would have made sweet sweet love, and right now I would face east and know that that, was where he was.”

“First, if he had been with you you wouldn't have gotten nabbed, obviously they waited until you were alone.”

“Ok, fine he would have sensed I was in danger, and he would have launched himself off of a fire escape, incapacitating one baddie on the way down, breaking the window of the van and knocking the driver unconscious. Then he would spin around and catch the tranq dart coming for his neck out of mid air and crush it.”

“Are you sure you are thinking of James, and not one of the Avengers?”

“Totally thinking of James. I've had a lot of time to fully actualize my rescue scenario. After he crushed the dart, he would pull me to him, and he would ask “You OK doll?” because I was woozy after being hit by the dart, and THEN Jane, then, he would pull a knife and throw it into the last baddie, that dude was sneaking around the van. ”

“That is an oddly specific timeline of events.”

“James is obviously a badass.”

“I thought you said he was into art.”

“He is a secret badass. You know” Darcy lowered her voice, “Bond, James Bond.”

They stepped from the plane, “his last name isn't really Bond, is it?”

“No, I don't actually know what his last name is.”

“What do you know?”

“He is into art. That's why he is moving back to New York.”

“Do you have contact information on him at least. Cell phone, an email address at least?”

“Yes to both. But I don't want to call him. I mean, how do I explain that we are running from your pseudo-employer’s murderbot?”

“True, that could become complicated.”

“Besides, I told him we had a pretty heavy touring schedule to show off your big brain, he isn't expecting much in the way of contact for at least another month.”

Jane watched Darcy twirl a pendant necklace while they waited for their luggage to be unloaded. “Is that new, it looks like Space Rocks, you should have gotten one for me too!”

“James gave it to me. He said he would give me the moon, and he did!”

Jane sharpened her gaze on the younger woman. Darcy hadn’t mentioned any gifts, besides the headphones, prior to leaving DC. Maybe her first instincts had been right - she would have to make sure the rock was inert when they got to the lab, it wouldn’t do to have her friend fall completely for a spy.

* * *

Thor arrived a week after, regaling the ladies with stories of his heroics in the battle against Ultron. He confirmed that the skies were now safe for international travel and helped Jane pack for Switzerland. 

“How fairs Darcy?”

Jane shrugged, “She’s fine, I think. Still a little shaken up about why she can’t remember what happened to her. You know Alzheimer's Disease runs in her family? It’s a sickness of the mind, it makes you forget chunks of your life.”

Thor looked towards Darcy’s room. “I know of it, the Captain’s lady suffers from it. I understood that it affected your elders. If it is setting in so soon, I can petition the Allfather to let us investigate her illness in Asgard.”

“No, it’s fine, I think it just reminds her of her grandmother’s decline. It’s making her a little sad.”

“What can be done for her in the meantime?”

“Some things just take time.”

Thor smiled softly at her. “Perhaps spending time with Eric will be good for Darcy? They will share a new bond.”

“Oh god! I didn’t even think of that, maybe I should cancel. Eric doesn’t need us showing up while Darcy is still processing everything.”

“Selvig is a strong warrior. They will help each other. Do not fear, my Jane.” Thor inclined his head. “Darcy loves the snow, does she not?”

Eric a warrior, Jane nearly guffawed at the thought. “You’re right. Darcy loves Europe. I know I’m not actually responsible for her, but, I should be.”

“Perhaps you need the time too?”

Jane continued packing, occasionally looking to Darcy’s room. “When we were in DC, Darcy met a man, James, and it’s crazy, but, she thinks that he saved her from the kidnapper and brought her back to the tower.”

Thor sat up, his attention solely on Jane. “You haven’t mentioned this before, why did he not stay with her? There was still plenty of danger from Ultron, we did not know that she was in tower, why would he save her and then leave her so vulnerable?”

“OK, so, she doesn’t really think that James saved her. She wishes really hard that he did. They were getting pretty close in DC, and he was going to New York. He might have already been in the city when she was attacked.” 

“Jane, there was no evidence of an attack.”

“Yes there was, Darcy said she was attacked - I believe her.”

“I apologize. I had read the report and thought it valid.”

“What, why, I didn’t even know there was a report. How did you get it?”

“Captain Rogers was looking through the injuries that were reported around the time. He showed me Darcy’s medical report.”

Jane’s eyes hardened on Thor. “OK, so, on Earth, that’s a violation of her privacy. Why would the Captain do that?”

“He said he didn’t want to miss anything, he was afraid Ultron had done additional damage. He is an excellent leader. Steven takes much upon himself. He would have wanted to apologize to any collateral damage. Has he violated further?” 

Thor was a man of action. Jane loved that about him. He was always ready to act, to defend, he prefered an enemy that he could vanquish, but, when it was needed, he was exceptionally tender. She hated to think where her life would be without him. So many scientific discoveries were mired in bureaucracy. With Thor’s public smashing an invading elven army with her science she was able to skip over the tedious process of proving her theories to the public. 

“No, just, don’t tell Darcy. She would be mortified.”

“I would be mortified about what?”

Jane’s head snapped up at the same time Thor winked at her, turned to Darcy and nonchalantly stated “That the Captain had checked on your health.”

“Really.” Darcy squealed, “He was worried about little ole me.”

“Of course, Captain Rogers takes the safety of his allies very seriously.”

“If I’m an ally of an Avenger, can I get a codename?”

“Of course.” 

Jane watched in awe as Thor simultaneously shifted Darcy’s focus from their earlier conversation and made Darcy smile. Loki might have been the Silvertongue, but Thor was plenty capable. Jane supposed a few thousand years of practice would grant anyone the ability to steer a conversation.

“How are you feeling Darce? Want to get some greasy American food one last time before you are forced to dine upon unpronounceable dishes in the Alps”

“Sure, let me get some lady clothes on.”


	6. A Daring Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky would do anything to protect Darcy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: there are mentions of blood and violence (against the enemy).

When Bucky left Darcy at Stark’s tower, he knew she would be safe. The fighting from two nights ago had passed and the team was still assembled.Darcy’s friend Jane was actively searching for her, as was Thor. Steve wouldn’t be able to resist his Darcy. She would come in smelling like him. Steve would question her, certainly, and then tuck her behind his shield and keep her safe while he finished off the Hydra cell that had targeted her in the first place. That hadn’t been in his plan for reconnecting with Steve, but all he could do at this point was move forward.

Seeing Darcy under attack in New York had thrown off his timeline.

* * *

He saw the tranquilizer dart hit her neck and he knew we had to act. He fired two shots. The first hit the sniper that was covering the van, and the second hit the streetlight above Darcy’s attackers. He dropped his rifle and jumped. He downed another thug with a knife before Darcy realized she had been hit. He landed hard on the third man, reveling in the crunch of his ribs. He doubted the man would survive, even if he could get medical help. He slammed his bionic arm through the driver’s window, his skull caved in. He heard the click of a trigger, made eye contact with the man firing and grabbed the incoming dart out of the air and clenched it in his metal fist. The dart was crushed as he turned to Darcy, she would be panicking, heart rate escalating. He estimated he had 7 seconds before she totally lost consciousness. He pulled her close, “You OK doll?” He sent another knife into the last assailants neck, the man slumped against the van. 

He watched her head loll to one side as she said “James, I’m feeling really funny.”

“I know doll, but I need you to stay awake for me, I’m going to take you home.”

“Home’s in ‘braska.”

“Stark’s tower, I’m going to take you there, alright?”

“‘s a party ‘night.” She mumbled the last few words, and slumped against him.

He shrugged out of his jacket, placed it on the ground and set Darcy inside it. He lifted his left hand, smelling the tranquilizer residue. Component breakdown: Short term anesthetic to keep her memory hazy and paralytic with a special cocktail to break an omega’s suppressants. This was tailored to Darcy. Jane was a beta, it wasn’t even a mistaken kidnapping, they wanted the assistant, not the scientist. 

He needed to get rid of the bodies on the street, the sniper from the roof, retrieve his gun, and get Darcy safely back to the tower. It would be painful for her to face a heat on her own, but he didn’t have the time he needed. He couldn’t see waltzing up the steps to the lobby, yelling out for Steve, “I remember everything ya punk, but I need a few hours with this dame!” without getting a bullet in his skull. Standing he launched himself back up to the fire escape, retrieving his gun and leaping over to the roof with the sniper.

He regretted bloodying the driver. Despite the fact that he knew she would be out for another 3 hours he was afraid that Darcy would wake while they were in route to the industrial side of town. She wouldn’t notice the bodies in the back, but he wasn’t sure he could calm her down if she noticed the bits of brain on his headrest. 

James needn’t worry. Darcy didn’t make a play for consciousness until the van’s explosion rocked the small sedan. By the time her eyes fluttered open, he suspected her assailants were getting friendly with the fishes and they were cruising back into town. He reached across the center console and took her hand in his. “You with me Darcy doll?”

“Mmm,” Darcy shifted in her seat. “James, I feel sticky…”

He saw the minute she scented him. Her eyes opened all the way, pupils blown wide. He couldn’t help it, it would be a few hours until he could force himself to scent as a beta again. He always revved up during a fight. “Lean back and relax doll, I’m takin you home.”

“James, I think, I think they did something to me...how” She was was really starting to strain against her seatbelt, “you came for me, how did you know I was here…”

Her light pants were breaking his heart. “I never lost you Darcy, just hold on for a little bit longer, yeah? I’ll have you home and then you will be right as rain.”

“Where, where are we?” Her voice was light and breathy, God she pushed the limits of his control. At least she was focusing on something other than him. Hydra must be getting sloppy, she was lucid after just 2 hours. 

“Just outside of Hell’s Kitchen, I had to dump those guys that attacked you. I’m bringing you back home, just sit tight.”

She stopped squirming when she realized that his jacket was behind her. She spent the next 15 minutes trying to subtly pull it around to her face, without breaking contact with his hand. Once it was free, she promptly buried her face in the jacket, alternating between contented purrs and distressed sobs. He was over the moon that she could be comforted by his scent and he hated that he couldn’t claim her yet. There was still too much that she didn’t know, he had to have his cards all out on the table, he only had one chance and he wouldn’t mess it up.

“Shit.”

“Wha, what is it, wha’s wrong James?” Darcy’s head popped up from her jacket burrito.

“Something is going down at the tower.”

“Yeah, a party.”

“No, there’s glass on the ground, a circle of cop cars and an ambulance.” How was he going to get her to safety when a Police blockade stood in his way. Shooting his way through wouldn’t win him any friends on the inside, and he wouldn’t risk Darcy in the crossfire.

“Oh, weird.” She was panting again. He figured she had another hour before she crossed into really dangerous waters.

“Darcy, doll, this is serious. Do you know what’s happening?”

“Everyone is” pant pant pant “under attack.” more panting “you saved me” pant pant pant “just like in the movies.”

“Yeah doll, I’m a regular James Bond.”

“Now, you have’ta” Darcy stopped, making a truly sinful groan, “make me a Bond girl.” 

“You might not want that if you really knew me.” He hated it, but he might not have a choice. She was working herself up, hell, she was excited at the prospect of him bonding her! He wasn’t used to modern women.

“Don’t care.” She ground out, straining to get closer to him, “I’ve wanted you since the day we met.”

Bucky slammed the car in reverse and took off for the apartment he had rented 4 blocks away. It wasn’t one of his bolt holes, and he was going to hate blowing it up when he left. At least it was recently stocked with food and he had stashed a couple of presents away for her.

* * *

Now he was in the middle of some farm town in western Pennsylvania tracking down everyone that had been involved in Darcy’s attempted kidnapping while Steve was taking care of Darcy. 

He had to make sure she was safe. Electronic messages moved instantly, and if he didn’t find every possible outlet everything would be for naught. Hydra could never know that the Winter Soldier had rescued a dame. Had BONDED a dame. If the found out, they would change course and redirect every asset in an effort to capture her. 

James supposed it could be a character flaw that he could think about life with Darcy while tearing through the men in the outpost. He hummed the tune “another one bites the dust” as he drove his knife through the last operative’s heart. He was in the data center, three floors below ground with enough C-4 to blow up Ellis Island and he was thinking about sharing a milkshake with Darcy. He didn’t think he had ever been this dizzy for a girl before. 

Maybe everything felt different because he was technically an alpha now. He understood Steve’s stubborn streak better now. He felt that single minded purpose fill him up, the drive to protect what was his, he was actually surprised the Steve had ever been able to stop fighting. He saw nothing but red for days at a time. He needed to finish this so he could get back to Darcy before he fell into a permanent berserker rage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As requested, more Bucky!


	7. That Escalated Quickly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy and Jane move in with the Avengers.

Darcy knew something was wrong. Jane was staring at her again. After a whirlwind four week convention tour in Western Europe Darcy and Jane landed on American soil. 

They had been back in the Puente Antiguo for a little over a week now, and Jane wasn't letting up on the mothering. At first she thought it combination of Thor going off world and her amnesiac adventure in New York. THEN she thought it was because she had been moping around about James. She couldn't help it, she hadn't noticed it when she first left DC, but now it felt like her heart was breaking every morning. 5 weeks out and she was desperate to see him again. She had tamped down on the waterworks, keeping the tears to midnight hours only, and still Jane wasn't happy. 

“What’s up boss lady?”

“You look tired.”

“I'm fine Jane, the good doc said so, remember.” 

“I don't know Darcy, maybe you need a second opinion. Something is wrong.You've been a little green around the gills lately. Maybe the dart that the kidnappers hit you with is still affecting you.”

“Oh c’mon Jane, you know Tony pays for the best. Doctor Cho didn't find anything when she checked me out. No one is going to be able to give me a better diagnosis than ” Darcy stopped mid sentence as the light from an active bifrost shined down in front of the lab.

Thor strode into the lab and stopped short “Darcy, you are with child!”

“I knew something was off with you!” Jane exclaimed at the same time as Darcy’s startled yelp. 

“Whaa, dude, I can't be pregnant, I haven't done the deed, in like, forever!”

“What deed, I do not understand.”

“Thor, just shush, Darcy's probably just a little shocked - she didn't realize that” Jane trailed off, leaning into Thor and looking sympathetically at Darcy. 

Darcy grimaced and started twirling the pendant necklace around her fingers. Yeah, reality sucked. “Ok, I'll schedule an appointment tomorrow, and we will see from there.” 

“Ok, whatever you need.”

“If the lady Darcy needs cheering up, then we shall order Chinese and watch the ‘romcoms.’”

Thor was always more perspective than people gave him credit for. He might not understand the subtleties of human sarcasm but he knew people. Darcy appreciated the gesture so much that tears started gathering in her eyes. The big lug gathered her into an embrace with Jane. “You guys are the best, you're probably all I'll ever have.”

“Nay Darcy, by the summer equinox you shall have a babe of your own.” Thor’s touching comment made her cry even harder.

* * *

Darcy, Jane and Thor arrived at the upstate New York Avengers training facility a week after Halloween. Jane was right, Darcy needed to settle down for the remainder of her pregnancy. Puente Antiguo was remote, and the local clinic didn’t have a full OB ward. Stark had insisted that he would have a “baby doctor” on call, and keep them onsite when she approached her due date. Stark had been trying to tie Thor down for a while, and it looked like Darcy’s ‘condition’ was the key. She briefly considered seeing if James was settled, but his phone was disconnected and the email address was coming back with an out of office reply for a professor in Utah. Tony could probably track him down, but, when she was most honest with herself, Darcy didn’t want to know that he had cut ties with her. She wanted to hold onto that little bit of hope that her James would come to her rescue here, just like dream James had done when she had almost been taken. Besides, it would be better to be among Thor’s comrades at arms, than alone in the desert.

* * *

Darcy had been determined to enjoy life among the superheroes, but, between the morning sickness that had set in and her sad love life she couldn't muster more than a cursory interest. 

When they arrived, Natasha had introduced herself to Darcy and Jane. She explained the dynamics of the current base residents and showed Thor and Jane to their suit and Darcy to her room. It was explained that Wanda typically kept to herself and that The Vision was in general, new to personhood. A “Wilson” was currently off base, visiting family but Clint would be back with dinner, did she like Chinese, why yes she did. Stark came and went as he pleased and she shouldn't expect to see him anytime soon. The facility had a small staff of 20 who rotated on and off the base. Housekeeping didn't fluff her pillow, but she didn't have to dust or vacuum her room, so, she couldn't complain there. A new physician who specializes lady parts was being added to the roster once they made it through the extensive vetting process. 

She spent her mornings befriending the porcelain throne and her afternoons playing assistant to Jane. Omega’s made the best assistants. They were natural caretakers, and Darcy was no different. Most of her work was centered around Jane’s patents and made sure that her grant’s were filed on time. She organized her schedule, keeping her lecture circuits balanced with time spent researching. Darcy’s evenings alternated between researching her impending motherhood and mothering the Avengers that were currently in residence.

Captain America and the Falcon where the only two that she hadn’t met. Falcon was getting his wing pack repaired after a “training exercise” had damaged it, but he was expected back by the end of the week. The Captain, she supposed, was off doing the things that captains did.

* * *

She had been watching reruns while snacking on saltine crackers when Colonel Rhodes entered with a new man at his side.

“Afternoon Darcy, how are you feeling today?”

“Better now that you have brought me some new eye candy.”

“Darcy Lewis, meet Airman Wilson” Rhodes said, stepping aside to present Sam Wilson. 

“I’m Sam, or the Falcon to the ladies.” Sam Wilson introduced himself, giving her a dapper salute and a thorough once over. 

“Are you and Clint forming a flock or was that the name of your Halloween costume?” Darcy quipped. 

Colonel Rhodes spoke up before Sam could form a retort, “ He was a Butterfinger for Halloween!”

“Wow, you are giving the Colonel some serious side-eye, Sam, anything you want to share with the class?” Darcy stared between the two men.

His stony silence only further intrigued Darcy and Rhodes was looking real smug, “You should check out the security footage of the Falcon being beat up by a gnat!”

“It was Ant Man, not a gnat.”

Darcy was now looking skeptically at Sam. “What’s with the bug people? Spider Man, Ant Man, ick, what’s next Wasp Man?”

Rhodes lowered his voice. “The Wasp,’ is a woman.”

Sam’s head snapped up, “How many other shrinking people are there on the field?”

“Classified.” was all Rhodes said as he strolled out of the room.

“So, Falcon” Darcy said drawing out the first syllable, “now that we are friends, how do you feel about sitting that fine ass down and watching Honey I Shrunk the Kids with me?”

Sam simply sighed, “You are going to be trouble, aren't you Lewis?”

Darcy smiled softly and tried not to let her hormone riddled brain bring down the moment. She missed the easy banter her and James had shared.

* * *

“Who do we expect for Thanksgiving?” Darcy asked. She didn’t have a kitchen in her room in the dorm/barracks, and she needed some soul food to cheer her up. 

Natasha answered. “Four of the five full time residents, plus you, Thor and Jane.”

“So, you, Wanda, Sam, and Vision, does he even eat?” Darcy questioned.

“Not Sam, Steve will be back for Thanksgiving.” 

Darcy’s brain momentarily stalled out and Natasha was staring at her critically. “Really, I’ll have to, uh, I’ll make some apple pie for Captain America!” She had yet to meet the First Avenger, and despite her near constant melancholy, she was unexpectedly eager to.

“You plan on cooking Thanksgiving dinner?” Clint joined the conversation, “Maybe I’ll stick around here.”

“Your lady friend would kill you if you missed the holiday to spend it with an unbounded omega.” 

“Woah! I'm not spending it with HER, but Darcy always makes such great food, she doesn’t make me eat healthy shit all the time.”

Darcy knew that Clint’s lady was really his wife/family, but no one spoke of them in public, the staff might be loyal, but secrets spread like wildfire. 

For the rest of the week, Darcy couldn't sleep. Captain America was coming back. She was excited and terrified. She was still sure that James was her ONE, and she was knocked up by the mystery man she referred to as “Bond.” Now, she couldn't stop thinking about a man she had never met!

Facing another sleepless night, She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and started going through pictures of the Captain. She liked looking at his press photos best, something about looking into his eyes calmed her soul. After hours of web surfing she brought up a YouTube playlist of his interviews. She finally fell into a restful sleep to Steve talking about the importance of equal access to healthcare.

* * *

Thanksgiving morning found Darcy nauseous for a new reason: Steve was ‘home.’ Clint was trying to steal a bite of her pie filling before he headed to his farm, and she was trying her best to ignore him and the butterflies in her stomach. She didn’t understand why she was so nervous, meeting Steve wouldn’t be any different from meeting any of the other heroes.

Clint stole the music player from Darcy's hands, forcefully ripping earbuds out of her ear. The loss of Taylor Swift’s vocals deafened her. “Give them back!” Darcy’s heart rate was through the roof. James had GIVEN her those earbuds, and she didn’t want Clint touching them.

“Trade ya for some of that sweet sweet filling.” he was dangling her iPod by the headphone cord.

“It isn’t a trade if you STOLE them from me in the first place.” She felt like crying, or throwing up, and then the world shifted. She could feel the air charge with a strong alpha presence. 

Steve walked into the room. "Barton,” Steve barked, “were you raised in a barn?"

Her gaze shifted from Clint to Steve’s impressive chest, then traveled up to his eyes, they were even more beautiful in person. And now she was blushing. “Hi.” her voice barely above a whisper.

He smelled nice, a prime piece of alpha man, he reminded her of home, suddenly, she yearned for him to want her. It was silly considering everything else going on. She was pregnant, her body rebelling, an alpha would never fall for her now. She would be lucky if James even looked at her. A perfect specimen like the captain would never want her. She felt faint. 

“Hello Ms. Lewis.” He chest rumbled when he spoke.

 

Steve reached out a muscled arm to steady her as she swayed on her feet. He was so warm, his touch was sending little sparks up and down her spine. He held out his other hand, and Clint handed the music device and earbuds over. 

“Head out Barton, your ride is getting impatient.” Steve’s commanding voice thrilled her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.

Steve gently pressed the iPod into her hand, and brushed the hair away from her face, replacing the tiny headphones in her ears. She inhaled again, feeling light and giddy at the sudden change in his scent. She knew she had no personal experience to justify the feeling, but she knew that THIS was the what her BFF in high school had attempted to explain to her: that when an alpha wanted you, you could feel the change in the air. It was like being in a sensory deprivation chamber, surrounded by the softest blanket, completely satiated, warm and content. She had always thought the effect of alpha pheromones were hocus-pocus, but now, being the focus of Steve’s attention, she understood. 

Darcy fainted into Steve’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My longest chapter yet, I hope you enjoyed it! Now we can get into the ooey, gooey center of fluff fluff fluff!


	8. Reconnecting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Darcy finally get have an actual conversation, or two!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter picks up directly after 7, when Darcy faints.

Steve had never seen anyone quite so beautiful as Darcy Lewis. Natasha had briefed him on her arrival while he was in the field searching for Bucky. The packet Tasha sent over did little to prepare him for seeing Darcy in person. 

He knew that whoever had left her with child wasn't actively in the picture. He thought that was a terrible place for an omega to be. Even if single beta mothers were accepted in society now, omega women generally needed to be fully bonded in order to thrive while pregnant. Something about their biology needing sympathetic pheromones. It had been a huge huge issue in during the draft. Natasha had been on his case about his “super alpha” pheromones (her words) since Darcy had arrived on base. She had been trying to convince him that they were powerful enough to soothe the girl. He had brushed her off, until she texted him a photo of Darcy asleep, wrapped in red white and blue. He wouldn’t put it past her to go out and BUY a damn blanket that matched the description of the one he had mentioned to Pepper. She was an expert at asking the wrong question to get the right answer. 

He had been able to ignore the churning in his gut for three days before giving in and making plans to be back by Thanksgiving. Seeing Darcy in the flesh made him wish he had turned around the minute he saw the photo. She was the girl of his dreams. No, not just that, she actually was the girl from the vision that Wanda had given him. Had Wanda shown him the future, as she had with Thor? 

He lifted her easily when she lost consciousness and cradled her to his chest. He inhaled, her scent was so familiar. He didn't have much experience scenting pregnant women and couldn't tell if she was she was bonded. He thought could detect traces of his mark on her. That must be leftover imaginings from Wanda's magic, or he was losing his mind. 

He wanted to take her back to his suite. It took every ounce of control to stop in the lounge. Just because Wanda's dream had left him feeling like he was already her alpha didn't mean he could take those liberties with the lady. He knew he would have to win her over, if she was free to be won at all. 

He wasn’t ready to let her go. He looked at the furniture around him, picking out the large sofa to his right and sinking into it. He brushed her hair away from her neck checking for a bite mark, feeling almost certain that he would find one; but her skin was unmarred. Closing his eyes and placing a gentle kiss to the nape of her neck, he let himself breathe her in while running his fingers through her hair. 

Growling in annoyance, he opened his eyes as Natasha stepped into his field of vision. Her stance was wide, she expected to fight with him. “Leave her with me. She needs more apples chopped, Clint took off with the filling she was making.”

Ignoring her order he asked the one burning question in his mind. “Tasha, how did you know?”

Mysterious as always, she answered. “I only pretend to know everything Rogers. Now, put the girl down before she suffocates in your smothering affection.”

He stood slowly, still reveling in the feeling of her in his arms. For weeks he had been thinking about the vision, to release her so soon was almost unbearable. “I don’t think I should.”

“Do you trust me?”

He did trust her, if she said he needed to back off, he would. Turning his back to Natasha he gently arranged Darcy on the sofa. He stood stiffly and walked into kitchen. He had peeled and chopped a dozen apples when he heard her stirring.

Natasha’s voice was clear but quiet. “It's a dying art.” 

“What?” Darcy sounded half asleep.

“Projecting. I’ve never seen anyone with as much control as Rogers has. They don’t publicize that part of the serum, the extent that it changed him.” Her tone had turned sardonic. “If you want to get some great deals tomorrow, I suggest you take him.” 

“Take Captain America shopping on Black Friday?” 

“Sure, he would clear out a department store if you asked him nicely.”

“By distracting everyone with autographs?” He heard Darcy shuffling around on the couch, and he wanted to hope she was looking for him.

“Projecting. Using his presence to his advantage But, autographs would work too. ” Steve could see Natasha putting air quotes around presence. “It’s fallen out of favor now, but you’ve probably seen it bars before. Alpha gets a girl drunk, lowers her inhibitions, then goes “alpha” on her and now she is in the palm of his hands. The girl is hyper aware of his emotions, and responds accordingly. Rogers can do that to hundreds of people at a time, his range is a football field, and they don’t need to be drunk.” She paused. “I’m pretty sure that is how he sold all of those war bonds in the ‘40s now that I think about it. It’s helpful in a fight, but it doesn’t work to well on robots.”

“And, he did that to me?” Darcy was finally sounding alert, and maybe a little afraid of him.

“No. If he had, everyone in the room would have been swooning right along with you. Mature unbonded alphas are intense, Steve, even more so than the rest.” With that parting remark, Natasha stood and entered the kitchen.

Steve looked her in the eyes while pushing her to an adjoining hallway, “Why are you trying to scare her?”

“Because, she needs to know what she is dealing with. She needs to know that entering into a relationship with you will be on a totally different level from what she is used to.”

“Why are you so keen on getting the two of us together. Bucky is still out there, he is my number one priority right now.”

“Don’t be dense Rogers. I saw that exchange. Your priorities are shifting already.”

“She was distressed.”

“They could have been flirting.”

“Her and Clint!” He threw his hands in the air and ground out his reply. “She. Was. Distressed. I could feel it.”

Natasha folded her arms. “What do you mean you could feel it. Are your super alpha senses keyed to her already? After just 10 seconds of sharing the same air?” 

“You're twisting my words, but that isn’t important right now. I am going to check on her and properly introduce myself. You are going to stop trying to scare her. She has enough on her plate.”

Natasha huffed, and started making her way down the hall. As she rounded the corner she called back to him, “Make sure she finishes the apple. She promised to make me a cherry pie next.”

Steve went to the lounge, stopping in the kitchen to make Darcy a glass of water. He rounded the corner and stopped to look at the figure before him. Darcy was still on the couch where he had placed her, her legs were tucked under her and she was playing with the ends of her hair. He knocked on the door jam, and waited for her too look up before striding forward and offering her the glass. “I want to start over, introduce myself properly.”

She took the proffered glass, took a small sip, placed it on the table and nodded for him to continue. 

“Hello, I'm Steve Rogers.” He offered her a hand to shake. 

“Hi, I'm Darcy.” She took his hand. 

He crouched down, balancing on the balls of his feet, bringing himself to her eye level. “I'm sorry if I scared you.”

“You didn't”

“You're scared now.” It wasn't a question. Fear was still peppering her scent. 

“No, no, I'm not.” She was defensive as she dropped her gaze back to her lap. 

Steve tentatively reached a hand towards her face, waiting to see if she would flinch. Instead she leaned in towards him. He cupped her chin, lifting her face so he could see her eyes. “I want you to feel safe in your home. I promise, I will do whatever it takes to make sure you are comfortable here.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’m sure you have way bigger concerns than…” voice trailing off, she gestured to her herself.

“I can assure you, there isn’t anything that is a bigger concern than what is right in front of me, right now.” He wanted to have a sincere conversation with her, but he could hear Natasha’s sarcastic quip that ‘he was just concerned about getting some apple pie,’ and while he knew Darcy couldn’t hear her, if he dallied too long, Natasha would come in and ruin the moment. Mentally sighing, he ran his hands down her shoulders and arms, taking each hand in his to pull her to her feet as he stood. “You were making some pie for Thanksgiving dinner, let me help.”

* * *

Sunday afternoon Darcy nearly crashed into Steve, “Are you headed to town today? Please say yes!”

“I hadn't planned on it, but I can make a trip. Where did you need to go?” He was glad that she was cautious about going off base alone. It wouldn’t do for her to get nabbed again.

“Well, Sam is coming back tonight, and I wanted to have something special ready him.” 

“That’s real sweet of you. We can grab a late lunch while we’re out, if you like.” He could mentally kick himself for being so presumptuous. The more he was around her the more he kept acting like an overbearing alpha, and now that Sam was returning he was obviously going to have competition for her time.

“Oh, that would be perfect. The bug requires food every couple of hours, otherwise he throws a tantrum. I really just needed to drive by the pharmacy on State Street, but, if you’ve got the time I’ve got a couple of other stores I wanted to visit for just me. I haven’t really been feeling up to a trip out until this weekend, and I really don’t want the weather to get any colder without getting a coat that fits.”

“I’ve got the time, whatever you need. Do you need to grab anything before we leave?”

She stuck her hand in her purse, “Wallet, check. Phone, check. I’m good to go Captain.”

“I’ve told you, Steve is just fine.”

“OK, Steve, lead the way.” She was smiling at him, making his heart melt.

“So, Bug?” He asked as they made their way to the garage. 

“Yeah, that's what I'm calling the baby. Instead of a 24-hour bug, I have a 9 month one!” Darcy had really come a long way in the three days they had known each other. 

During Thanksgiving, she had been shy around him. Barely able to give him the instructions for making the pies, conversation over dinner had been exceedingly stilted. He had broken through her shell on Friday when he asked her if the Wrath of Khan was before or after The Clone Wars. He had smiled to himself as she demanded to know who had let him get Star Wars and Star Trek mixed together. 

While doing a little recon, in search of common ground, he had come across a picture of her, Jane and Thor by the movie poster for the latest Star Trek Movie in Jane’s lab. Thor’s shirt read, ‘Live long and prosper.’ Jane’s referenced her Bifrost work: ‘Beam me up Scotty.’ Darcy’s said ‘Resistance is Futile.’ He hoped that she would forget to be anxious while trying to sort out his apparent misinformation. His gamble paid off when she sat him down and queued up the pilot of Star Trek. Two nights later, they had were finishing the season, he had her tucked under his arm and a bowl of shared popcorn balancing on his knee. 

He had successfully desensitized her to his presence, and now was able to take her hand and lead her to his SUV, opening the door, and holding her hand as he guided her into the passenger seat. She was looking through her giant purse as he closed her door and circled around the front of the vehicle. He settled into the driver’s seat while pulling out a hat and sunglasses from the center console and pulling out onto the drive. “Lunch or the pharmacy first?”

“Can we hit the pharmacy first, it will be real quick, I already checked, they have Sam’s favorite movie in stock.”

“Oh, what’s the movie?”

She was trying to stifle a snicker as she answered, “Honey I Shrunk the Kids.” 

He had been sure that Sam’s favorites were the Mission Impossible movies, but maybe that was before Steve had made him live through an impossible mission in DC. “I haven’t heard of it, do I need to add it to my list?”

“No, no, that’s OK, it's not that iconic. Besides, I’m planning on playing it tonight, for Sam.” 

He glanced at Darcy, she was still trying so hard not to laugh at the apparent inside joke between her and Sam. “So, what does the ‘bug’ like for lunch?”

She sobered up as she thought, “Hmm, do you think we could find some fried rice or maybe stir fry?”

He wanted to say ‘anything for you,’ but settled for “Sure thing, there’s a great Japanese bistro on the outside of the mall.”

Darcy made quick work of finding the video for Sam, and now he was watching her from across the booth as she stared at the menu. “I can’t decide, between the fried rice or the stir fry. Which is better here?”

“Just order them both, I promise, whatever you don’t want I’ll finish.” 

“You aren’t going to steal all my food are you? I have to watch Thor like a hawk, otherwise I won’t get anything!”

“Trust me, I know, Thor’s tried to steal my food too. I’ve considered dining with the shield to keep him off my plate, but that would be even more rude than dining with my hat on.” He smirked at her, “Don’t worry, your food is safe from me, and I promise to defend it from Thor in the future.”

She blushed as she answered “You’re the best! So, one chicken fried rice and one chicken stir-fry for me. Can you order me a sprite when the waitress returns, I need to hit up the ladies room.”

He nodded and watched as she went to the restrooms. He hated that he was short with the waitress while Darcy was away, but he didn’t want to be distracted while she was out of his sight. Darcy waved awkwardly at him when she emerged a few minute later. 

“Wow, you are going to be one of those crazy alpha guys if you ever knock a girl up, aren’t you.”

He considered her words carefully before replying. “No, I’m not being crazy right now, am I?”

“Well no, but you haven’t knocked anyone up, and really, did you even break eye contact with the hallway that I disappeared down, while I did my business?”

“There was no reason to look away. I already saw the positions of the patrons and staff when we were being seated, I can track them by sound and their scent would have given them away before they could attack me out here. I was watching out for you, and listening for any sounds of a struggle in the one place I can’t see. I told you before, I want you to feel safe here, I wouldn’t act crazy if you were carrying my child because that would compromise my ability to protect you.” 

He could smell it then, her arousal, she liked hearing him saying that he was protective of her. Maybe he did have a better shot than Sam. 

“Oh, well, glad we got that cleared up.” She paused collecting her thoughts before forging ahead, “since we are already basically in the mall, do you mind if we go to Pickle’s-n-Icecream?”

“Already planning dessert?”

“No, I don’t have crazy cravings yet. It’s a maternity clothing store. I know, the bug isn’t showing yet, but I wanted to get a coat or something incase I don’t get a chance to get out before it snows.”

He waited to reply was the waitress set out their appetizers. “Darcy, we can go wherever you want. ”

Their conversation lapsed into Star Trek trivia as they went through the egg rolls and pot-stickers he had ordered and continued as the main course was delivered. He watched her eat, checking to make sure she got at least 4 ounces of protein before he relaxed fully into his meal. When Darcy pushed her plates to him, he cocked an eyebrow in question. “You done already?”

“Hey, I ate a TON of food, you know, for like a regular sized person. It’s not my fault they serve the rice in bowls that make it LOOK like I haven’t eaten anything out of them.”

“If you’re sure, I would hate for you to complain to Jane that I stole your dinner just like Thor does.”

“Nope, this is even better than dining with him. It’s like a buffet. You let me sample your duck, and bug approved of it, so yay!”

“Well, I’m glad it all worked out for you.”

He took the check from the waitress, put his card in the folder and handed it back to her before Darcy could protest. 

“I was gonna pay, since you’re taking time out of your day to play chauffeur.”

“A gentleman never lets a lady pay.”

“Dude, that doesn’t really apply anymore.”

“Are there any rules against a man paying for a lady’s dinner.”

“Well, no, but you don’t have to is all I’m saying.” She squinted her eyes at him, “Did all the girls back in DC make you pay?”

“There were no girls in DC.”

“I’m the first.” 

She looked so hopeful when she said that, he couldn’t help but reply, “The first that I’ve wanted to buy dinner for.”

Thankfully the check came back and Steve was able to end the conversation before it got out of hand. He led her out of the restaurant, and into the crowded mall. He could feel her nervous energy ratchet up and contemplated just how many of the people he wanted to divert from their path. He breathed in through his nose and felt the world slow down as he calculated the population density surrounding him and the omega at his side. He breathed out and felt a fraction of himself let go. Like Banner, anger was the tool that he used to control the alpha pheromones the super serum had granted him. He watched, satisfied, as the noise level around them dropped and people thinned out. He felt Darcy relax into his side, safe in his embrace against the storm of Christmas shoppers.

* * *

Tuesday found the Captain training indoors while the rain pelted outside in the pre dawn light. He heard the soft shuffle of slippered feet coming down the hall and paused, bracing the weights above his head. 

He knew she wouldn't be able to see him, and he curiously watched as Darcy entered the gymnasium, wearing a robe and clutching a caddy with sweet smelling bath products. She quietly made her way to the locker room, when he heard the water engage he resumed his weight routine listening to the soft humming he could barely hear. After 20 minutes the water turned off, Darcy reemerged a few minutes later and walked out of the gymnasium. 

The ground was still soaked Wednesday morning and Steve was curious if Darcy would reappear. Sure enough, at 5:30 she entered the gym and went straight to the locker room to shower and depart without ever using any of the equipment. Her pattern held true for the rest of the week. The only variation in her morning routine seemed to be the occasional bout of morning sickness. 

After 5 days he decided to confront her about her odd behavior. It was raining again, giving him a plausible excuse for why he had deviated from HIS routine. He wrapped his hands and positioned himself in front of the heavy bag with a view of the gymnasium entrance. 25 minutes later she walked in clutching her shower caddy. She startled when she saw him there, pulling her earbuds out as she waved to him. 

“Good morning Darcy, I didn’t expect to see you here this early.” He stilled the punching bag, and walked over to her.

“Oh,” she gave a small self deprecating laugh, “I, umm, I just like to use the showers before everyone else gets in, you know. I guess the rain kept you from doing a running man impression this morning.”

“Yeah, it’s really coming down out there.” He noted that she admitted that she only used the showers, not the gym’s equipment. “Is something wrong with the showers in your suite?”

Embarrassment tinted her response, “Oh, I don’t really have a suite. I mean, I have a room in the dormitory, communal showers and I use Jane’s usually, but, when, umm….” she stalled out momentarily before continuing. “Well, Thor’s back, and I don’t like to be the third wheel, so, it’s just easier to come over here, you know. Besides, there is a really awesome soaking tub here and their suite’s second bath doesn’t have one of those.”

He started unwrapping his hands, “I didn't realize that you didn't have access to a private shower. C’mon, it’s ridiculous to walk all the way across the base when there is a perfectly good shower in my suite.”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be right. I mean, that’s your space, you LIVE there, I couldn’t just use your shower. That wouldn’t be fair, and you, and I, I mean…” by this point the hand clutching the caddy was starting to join in the wildly gesturing right hand. He interrupted her, holding her right hand still while taking the shower caddy from her left. 

“It's OK. You can, and you will. What isn’t right that you don’t have your own shower, I hadn’t realized that you weren’t staying with Jane and Thor. I’m sorry, that was an oversight on my part. Please, let me offer this as a temporary fix until Tony gets around to completing the extension.”

“No, I couldn’t.” She was still protesting.

“Darcy, sweetheart, I’m gone before dawn every morning, and there is no one else to worry about interrupting. I won't take no for an answer.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and led her back to his suite of rooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for ALL of the fabulous comments. You guys are absolutely the best a girl could ask for.


	9. Winter Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lost and alone, he searches for her.

Christmas in New York beautiful. Aside from the sludgy snow on the ground and the frantic pace everyone was attempting to keep, Christmas was beautiful. Storefronts were decorated for the season. Homes glistened with white lights and festive garland. The parks and plazas sported giant trees. Gone were the dull colors of fall, the world was now a riot of red, green and gold. He liked to look at the toy store windows, to picture the presents he would buy his future family. He watched the ice skaters circling the rink, cheeks red from the cold. He wondered if Darcy knew how to skate.

A small home had been waiting for her in Brooklyn. He had purchased the 3 story walk-up with the war bonds that he had squirreled away before joining the army. Cashing them had given him the collateral he needed to purchase the things Darcy would need to make a home. He was ready to provide for her, to fully bond her, and he couldn’t find her. She had blipped off his radar in the past. After a week or two, she and Jane would pop back up at a new University thousands of miles from where she had last been. There was a black hole that the she and the scientist were able to hide in.

He visited the cathedrals often. After all the horrors that he had seen, he didn’t believe that anyone was up there, certainly not looking out for him, but he took comfort in the familiar sounds and smells that the faith provided. Light filtering through stained glass windows lessened the sadness in his heart. The pang of loss and desperation when his best friend had fallen was the same loss he felt for her. When he realized that this time, he couldn’t save him. That he was too late. 

He was too late again. Steve wasn’t New York, hadn’t been for some time. He closed the dark curtains, turning his back on the winter white streets going back to the oak desk on the wall. He added two new pins to the wall he was using to track Steve and Darcy. A photo journalist had spotted Captain America in DC. The astrophysicists’ online group he had signed up with had identified Jane as a guest lecturer in California. He had scoured the photos from the lecture hall and reception to no avail. Darcy did not appear to be in attendance. 

He looked over the whole of his wall. Plain white with simple stick pins for sewing, it wasn’t easy to read. There were no points of reference for geographic locations. He had picked random longitude and latitudinal line as his corner axis and started from there. People so often assumed the world was flat, like a map with Alaska on one edge and Russia on the other, that assumption would make it that much harder to decipher the notes that detailed every movement of the alpha and omega that he intended to reclaim. 

He retraced Steve’s timeline, starting with the events in Sokovia. The team had taken a heavy hit. A comrade had fallen, he thought it might have been the archer. Steve at a funeral in Arlington. A charity photo-op in New York; Tony Stark by his side. Stark’s woman Pepper was there, but Darcy was not. One month later, Steve was blowing shit up Northwest Montana, a blip in Kansas, another in Arkansas, the last location before going off grid was a Children’s Hospital in Utah. 

“What are ya doin' Steve? You had the perfect girl in your arms and now you’re running a nostalgia tour from your USO days?” Great, he was talking to himself. 

Darcy wasn't in the tower anymore either, she had popped up in Europe at the same time Steve had been spotted in Arlington. Steve wasn’t with her. Thor wasn’t with her. HE wasn’t even with her. She made it through several countries with Jane, returning Stateside before he lost her completely. She went into that black hole and he hadn’t been able to find a shred of evidence that indicated if Hydra OR Steve had finally gotten hold of her.

Darcy was a spitfire, but she was defenseless against professional thugs. He could still taste Darcy’s terror as he opened the door to her safe room.

* * *

Hydra’s chemist was obviously an imbecile. Darcy hadn’t stayed unconscious for a reasonable amount of time last night in the car, and now her memory was still being adversely affected, as illustrated by the taser she had just fired. The leads stopped short a full three feet in front of him. She had been too panicked to wait until he was in range. 

She had been sleeping soundly, exhausted from the night’s activities, when he left her safely locked inside the safe-room. He knew how she felt about her taser, had left it, along with her glasses, a bottle of water and her iPod while he went out to the store. He had assumed that if she woke up before he got back she would let herself out of the room. Instead, she was a terrified mess.

“Oh my god, JAMES! We have to get out here before they come back! They knocked me out with a tranquilizer last night, and I’ve been locked in this room ever since I woke up!”

He had gone out to pick up milk and eggs - she needed the protein if she was going to remain healthy through the remainder of her heat, and she had awoken alone, scared, and didn’t remember a damn thing that had happened last night. 

He caught in a rough embrace and dropped to his knees, Darcy straddling his thighs, “Darcy, you’re safe. The men from last night area all dead, I took care of them, please doll, you gotta remember.”

“Remember what?” She said while sniffling into his neck. He hoped his scent would trigger the latent memories, otherwise she was going to fight her body when it started aching for him to fill her again.

“Remember us Doll. Last night, we came back here, because you had been hit, it knocked you off of your suppressants.”

“You were going to take me somewhere safe.”

“I have.”

“You said you loved me.”

“I do.”

“I remember coming back here, you being so gentle with me.”

“I was.” He nosed his head between her head and shoulder, tentatively licking at the bit mark on her neck.

“You bit me.”

“I did.”

“I can’t feel you. Isn’t the bond complete?”

“Not yet.”

* * *

Her memory had been faulty at first, coming back in fits and starts. He thought it might be affecting his ability to properly bond him. Not that he could be 100% sure that the modifications from Hydra had left him unable to complete the bond. He needed to get her to Steve, he KNEW that Steve could complete a bond with her, and then they would be connected, even if he couldn’t do it himself.

Another epiphany arrived after dinner. “Your arm! It’s metal…” Her eyes were wide, but she wasn’t afraid.

“That gonna be a problem? Yesterday you said I was your knight in shining armor.”

“You said you were Bucky, that Captain America was your friend, from World War Two?”

“True on both accounts.”

“Oh, my, god. I have entered the twilight zone. You wanted to know if I would be interested in a triad with you and Captain America? You were going to leave me with him!” her breathing had sped up and she was starting to hyperventilate. “Oh my god, oh my god, James, what..” He had pulled her to his chest.

“Hush now, breath in with me. There you go, now, hold that breath.” He counted to 5 in his head, “And exhale, Darcy, it’s OK. Just give it a minute for the rest of the memories to come back to you.” 

“You’re planning on hunting them down.”

“I have to Darcy, it’s the only way you will be safe. You’ll stay with Steve, he’s gonna love you, I promise.”

“That is a mighty big assumption mister.”

“Trust me, I’ve known the punk since he was a scrawny kid, he will be eating out of the palm of your hand two minutes after he meets you.”

“Captain America is NOT going to look twice at this.”

He gave her an appraising look, “I can assure you, he will look.” No, getting him to speak to her will be the hard part of the plan.”

* * *

Days blurred into weeks. Snow was still falling in New York and he was no closer to finding Darcy or Steve. Watching her walk across the busy New York street alone had filled him with dread. Her memory was still rough around the edges after she woke from a nap, worse still after a full night's sleep. The moonrock he had given her that first night had served as a touchstone, giving her a point of reference and helping restore the lost memories, just like his arm had. When she walked through those doors, she was out of his reach. She was, metaphorically speaking, dripping with his scent; Steve had obviously noticed. He had watched as he approached Darcy, picking her up, and taking her to safety, so what had gone wrong. Why didn’t Steve stay with Darcy?

The only way he would find her again was to anticipate Jane’s erratic schedule and intercept her at a lecture; then he saw a photo of Darcy and Steve on the front page of the paper. Steve had his arms around her, hands protectively covering the swell in her abdomen, the punk had gotten her with child!

They hadn’t waited for him to return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm working REAL hard on bringing him back home, I swear!


	10. Hot Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Darcy, being adorable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter is concurrent with the start of Bucky's Christmas Chapter.

The first time Steve woke her in his apartment Darcy was mortified. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but her morning sickness had turned into evening sickness the night before, leaving her dead on her feet. Indulging in a hot bath in Steve’s master suite had seemed like a good idea. Jane was out of state for the next two days, basically granting her a mini vacation, and Steve wouldn’t be back inside for hours yet. 

The bubble bath, courtesy of Steve, was specially formulated for expectant mothers. Lightly scented and specially formulated to soothe pains associated with pregnancy. She had giggled at the thought of tall, blond and ‘muscly’ perusing the aisles while a line of pregnant groupies followed in his all American wake. The hot air was making her loopy. 

Two hours later, the thunk of his bag hitting the floor as he entered his suite woke her. He was back early? Nope, she had fallen asleep, on his bed, and now she was going to be caught red handed, cuddling his pillow like a sappy teenager. Her sleeping self was apparently trying to ruin her chances of looking like a normal, well adjusted adult, because she was hopelessly tangled in the robe she had used as a blanket. Her efforts to stand and untangle herself landed her on the floor. At least she had gotten dressed before falling asleep.

Steve, ever the gentleman, heard the crash and came rushing to her aid. Now, if only he could rescue her from self-inflicted humiliation. Why did she always land on her ass in front of good looking men? 

“I’m fine, Steve, I swear.” Her hormones of course were projecting a totally different story. Her traitorous eyes were starting to tear up and who knows what else Steve was picking up on, because his face was starting to look a little panicked.

He lifted her easily, holding her to his chest, “Hey now, what’s wrong.” When her crying notched up a level he continued, “Are you hurt, is it the baby? Do we need to go to medical.”

“No! No, I’m fine, baby is fine. I’m sorry. Don’t worry, I’m sorry, I was twisted up and I didn’t mean to fall asleep here, I’m just...embarrassed.” She said the last word into his collarbone.

He must have heard her, or understood at least because he said it was fine, that she should take as many naps as she wanted, the bed was free all day after all. The following morning, when she peeped in his bedroom, she noticed a soft plush blanket had been folded and laid across the foot of the bed. It was her favorite color: purple.

He had been insistent upon sharing his space with her since he had caught her using the locker room showers. When she refused to leave her bath products in his shower he had gone out and bought duplicates for her. She had to admit to herself that it was impressive that he gotten them all correct. 

Other changes in what was quickly becoming her bathroom quickly followed suit. A heated towel rack appeared on a Tuesday. A new plush bath mat accompanied an iPod speaker dock. She accidentally left half of her make-up bag under her towel in her hurry to make it to the lab on time. Instead of returning the items to her, Steve had gone out that night and purchased a makeup organizer. The following morning she had been late again because she couldn’t find her hairbrush, lipstick or her mascara. She had given up on ever finding them and gone to shower at Steve’s, howling in frustration when she saw them set up in their pristine new home on his counter. How was she supposed to keep him in the friend zone when he was checking off all of the boxes her omega hindbrain required?

She was so screwed. He was perfect. 

Other changes popped up across his apartment too. Sprite, ginger ale, saltine crackers, and herbal tea appeared in his weekly delivery of groceries. A new Keurig machine appeared in his kitchen alongside various caffeine free beverage options. A lap desk appeared on his coffee table so she could work while sitting on his couch. A few extra throw pillows made their way onto each piece of furniture. She saw at least three different book’s for bondmates of expectant omegas plus two generic maternity books on his bedside table.

* * *

“Do you have plans tonight?”

Steve was preparing breakfast, second breakfast for him she supposed. That was another thing that had changed about his apartment: his appearance for breakfast. 9 out of 10 days Steve would be in the apartment, setting her prenatal vitamins alongside a nutritious breakfast. When the smell of cantaloupe made her gag, he followed as she ran back into the bathroom, crouching down beside her, one arm was wrapped around her back, massaging her neck, the other sweeping her hair out of her face. 

“OK, change of plans, you, me, maybe some sugar cookies, if the Bug approves of course, I’ll start a fire and we will watch ‘Love Actually.’ Jane said it was your favorite Christmas movie.”

She leaned back, soaking up his warmth, “Sounds nice.”

It was nice, because Steve was nice. If she wanted popcorn, he made it for her, if her glass was empty, he jumped up to fill it. If she rolled her shoulders, he was leaning back behind her to rub them. Their conversation and banter were the highlight of her day, they were easily slipping into the roles of alpha and omega in early pregnancy. She just feared what would happen when the second trimester changes started.

* * *

Darcy arrived in the office space of the lab and slumped in her seat. “Jane, I can't go back to that yoga class.”

“What’s wrong with this one?” 

“They were mean.”

“Really?” Jane focused on her.

“Ok, more like the groundswell of pity I felt, the looks that everyone was giving me, the poor unbonded lonely omega, it was damaging my calm.”

“Sounds like they were being nice.”

“They were being condescending. I’ve been kicked out of my regular yoga class, because I need one that is, and I quote ‘More supportive of my changing body.’ I think they were calling me fat.”

“I really doubt they meant it that way. Increased pressure from the uterus can block blood flow to and from the legs. Prenatal yoga is developed to mitigate that risk.”

“It’s for judgy couples. I don’t want to go back.”

“Oh, so, no one else was single?” Jane asked at the same time Natasha walked over.

“How does that prevent you from going?” Natasha asked seating herself on the edge of a table.

“What are you doing here.” Jane asked Natasha, she always hated it when the Avengers loitered around her equipment.

“Inserting myself into the conversation.” Natasha replied, “Ask Steve to go with you.”

“Umm, no, Captain America has better things to do than attend a prenatal bondmates’ yoga class. Not only would it highlight how out of shape I really am, he would be bored to tears. He probably sleeps in Warrior Pose.”

“The man has changed his entire routine to better care for you. I can assure you, he would be thrilled to accompany you.” 

Jane’s competitive spirit piped up. “No that’s great. What would be a better way to show up the judgy girls than walking in with Captain America on your arm.” 

“We aren’t bonded, he isn't even the father. Then they will laugh..”

“Honey, I don't even think HE realizes that most days, those ladies definitely won't know.”

* * *

“Good morning Darcy.”

“Hello Dr. Robins, what’s on the agenda for today?”

“12 weeks - Ultrasound, heartbeat and bloodwork. How are you feeling? Is the nausea any better? Any cramping or dizziness?” 

“Crossing my fingers, I haven’t been sick in THREE days! Doing fine otherwise.”

“Great, I’m looking at your results, and I see you have an alpha now. Your endocrine system is leveling out nicely.”

“Well, I spend time with one. But he’s not like, mine mine.”

“That’s strange...” Doctor Robins, trailed off as a soft knock sounded on the door. She left Darcy on the table and opened the door a crack, speaking softly to the person on the other side for a moment before opening it fully and revealing Steve Rogers, training jumpsuit unzipped and pushed down to his hips. “You should have told me you had an appointment this morning, if I hadn’t seen your message just now I would have missed it.”

“Pregnancy brain?” Darcy was attempting to deflect. She had wanted him with her of course, but they weren’t involved in that way. He was a friend, and friend’s didn’t reschedule the entire day for a simple check-up. She had texted him a chipper “getting a sonogram of the bug, see you at lunch?” message 2 minutes before she walked into medical. He must have shot through the facility to make it here this fast.

“Captain Rogers,” Dr. Robins was looking somewhat awed in his presence, “if this time is inconvenient for you, we can always reschedule. Whatever works best for you.”

“You mean, whatever works best for her, right doctor?”

“Yes, of course. Well, Darcy, let me get you to lean back and lift up your shirt.” 

Steve had moved to stand by her shoulder, and she could tell his posture was protective. One hand was tentatively exploring the side of her exposed stomach. “Just relax, I’m here now.” Surprisingly, tension she didn’t even know she had melted at his words.

“OK, we’ve got a great view of the baby, development all looks great, and, there’s the heartbeat.”

The steady rhythm of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room. “That’s amazing Darcy.” Steve was looking at her, like she was the super hero saving his life. 

“Yeah, I’m pretty awesome, right?”

* * *

The doctor had said she needed to make sure she didn't isolate herself completely. While it sometimes felt natural, especially once the nesting instincts kicked into overdrive, the delivery would go better if she remained active.

So here she was, walking around the snow covered field, watching the avenger version of recess. Vision was teaching Wanda to fly. Natasha and Steve stood side by side, looking on like proud parents while a pair of trainees threw a ball while running maneuvers. She had called it football, Steve had insisted it was a tactical training exercise. Clint was practicing with the bow, or showing off, she couldn’t tell which, with Sam. There was a lot of friendly banter going on and she was soaking it up when she heard a grunt from Clint’s direction. Sam shouted “GET DOWN” moments before she was lifted off her feet. A small explosion left her ears ringing. Steve had tackled her to the ground, somehow bracing her impact while covering her completely, shielding her from the blast. He rolled over onto his back, bringing her with him. He was motionless for a breath before his hands started searching her for injury. She was still dazed and he moved her about like a rag doll.

When her vision cleared she noticed the snow was red around them. He was saying something, probably reprimanding her for being out on the field in the first place, but she still couldn’t hear. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She had wanted to be near Steve, and now she had fucked it up. Wet snow sliding down her neck, into her coat and seeping into her pants.

Instead of being held like she wanted, her coat was ripped open, buttons flying off of the front as the back was ripped in two as Steve pulled it apart from the collar. 

Sam had landed just behind Steve with Clint and Natasha quickly closing the distance. A hand that wasn’t Steve’s reached for her and Captain America kicked into gear. The world snapped back into startling focus as her ears cleared.

“Don’t touch her!” Steve’s eyes were cold steel looking towards the man he held in a bone crushing grip. At her sharp inhale, Steve pushed the person aside and refocused his attention on her. One hand was at her side, the other was tentatively touching her neck.

“Jenkins, Rucker, I suggest you two bug out and lay low for a day or two.” Natasha was backing up slowly, giving her and Steve some space. “Darcy, tell Steve you’re not hurt. Tell him you want to go inside before you freeze in this snow.”

She couldn’t speak, she couldn’t focus on anything but the red seeping through his shirt. 

“DARCY! Tell Steve to take you inside NOW!” Natasha was yelling at her.

* * *

“Jane, I saw Steve in action today. Like, really saw him.”

“Girl, we all saw it.” Sam was sitting with her and Jane in the lounge while Steve got the wound in his side cleaned out. 

Steve had been insistent that she get checked out first, while he waited with her. He had soaked through 3 towels of blood while the doctor ran the ultrasound. He had been manually keeping the wound open so it wouldn’t heal around any debris. It was terrifying. The baby was fine and she was fine on the outside but her heart felt like a jackhammer. 

“Natasha had tried to warn me, she had said that being with Steve would be intense, since he’s an alpha. I had thought it was just chivalry on steroids and subconscious communication with pheromones. Like, I would be the queen bee, and he would respond my whims. It’s not like that at all, is it.”

“It’s not all bad, is it? Steve’s a great guy.” Sam was always defending his friend.

“No, I mean, it’s pretty great, HE is really great. But, it’s just temporary. Bucky will come back, or the baby will be born and whatever is driving him into alphaing around me is going to die down.”

“The man basically took an arrow in the side for you, which someone ought to strangle Clint for firing in the first place, and didn’t even notice his wound he was so worried that HIS blood was yours.”

“That’s just alpha biology at work. I’m an omega, getting pregnant is like, our number one biological priority. He’s an alpha, number one biological priority: protecting his territory. Right now, I’m all up in his territory.”

“Oh, Darcy,” Jane was looking at her with those big brown eyes, “I think it’s a whole lot more than that. He has it bad for you. Real bad.”

“Maybe, for now. He’s gonna drift once little Bug here makes an appearance. I’m only slowing him down.” she rubbed the small baby bump. “He keeps everything perfectly platonic between us, anyway.”

Sam studied her for a moment. “A man like Steve isn't going to leave you. That isn't going to be a problem, they weren’t overt in their love back in the 40’s.”

“Well, his lover from the 40’s isn't going to appreciate me stepping in on his turf.”

“I doubt that, most likely he will try to sweep you off your feet. He was a total ladies man.”

“Be serious Jane, this is a serious time.”

All three looked up as Steve walked out of medical. He walked straight to Darcy, lifting her up bridal style, he turned to Jane and Sam. 

“Jane, Sam, thank you for keeping Darcy company. We will see you tomorrow.”

“Well hello to you too, Steve, am I not walking?” She asked.

“No you aren’t, we are stopping by your room, where you will pack a change of clothes and something to sleep in, then, we are going back to my place.”

“Whaaa…”

He seemed so serious. “I’m sorry Darcy, just, I need this. 24 hours, that’s all I ask.”

“Oh, well, OK then.”

She could hear Jane shouting as they walked towards the living quarters, “And she says she doesn’t like alpha’s, HAH!”

* * *

The trip to pack an overnight bag was awkward. Steve was watching her intently, she hadn’t been hurt in the blast, but the scare had left her totally drained. She was actually glad he was carrying her down the long hallways despite the worry over his bandaged side. “Most of this stuff doesn’t even fit…”

“I’ll take you shopping tomorrow if you feel up for it. Otherwise, borrow some of mine.” He was behind her again, both hands cradling the newly visibly baby bump. She could hear her conversation replaying with Sam, it wasn’t going to last. She felt tears spring to her eyes again. 

He turned her to face him, “Hey now, a pretty dame like you shouldn’t be cryin’. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothin, just, hormones running wild.” 

“Sweetheart, you know you can't lie to me.” He said tapping his nose. 

She wiped her eyes, and pushed on his chest, it might as well have been a brick wall. “It's just been a wild day, let's just get my stuff and go.”

Thankfully he let it drop, shouldering her bag, and picking her back up. 

“Should you even be lifting me, your side.”

“Don't worry, I heal fast.”

“You know it was going to explode, it all happened so fast. You got hit like it was nothing, and the explosion...”

He finally smiled at her, relaxing a fraction, “Haven’t you heard ma’am, I'm a super soldier.”

“Steve, really, what happened, I just need to know, OK?”

He sighed. “I saw the kid hit Clint, his shot went wide, towards you. I could hear it, Clint’s exploding arrows make a whine right before they detonate - I knew I had to get us out of the immediate blast radius. The shortest distance was in front of the arrow, I can’t outrun it, but, I could knock it out of the air.”

“With your body?”

“I didn’t have that much time to work out a plan. If it had hit you, I can’t even think of what I would have done.”

“Where you like this with Bucky?” she hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

“It was war, there were no couches to cuddle on, no tubs to soak in, but I held him as much as I could. I don’t have to be stingy now, I can take all the time i need to make sure you are OK.”

“I am OK, because you're my knight…” she trailed off there, her hand probing his left shoulder for something half remembered. “Sorry, pregnancy brain, I totally spaced out there.” A shiver ran through her as her memory tried to surface. 

“You cold? You're probably still half frozen from being in the snow, I'll draw us a bath, with those bubbles you like.”

“Us!” She squeaked. They had been skirting around flirtation for weeks, but this was new and different territory. Bath times among adults usually lead to sexy times, had his earlier show of force fundamentally changed their relationship, and she didn't get the memo?

“I know it's not proper, but I really can't be away from you right now. We can wear clothes, whatever makes you feel comfortable, but I just need to hold my best girl for a while longer.”

They sat in a warm bubble bath until she was in a sleepy haze. Steve was continually running his hands across her arms, legs, neck and body. His touch was chaste, reaffirming to himself that she was intact and whole. She had opted to wear one of his black muscle shirts over a sports bra and underwear. He would ruck the shirt up to her chest as he explored the curve of her belly. Sometimes his head would drop to the nape of her neck where he would drop feather light kisses. It was such a stark contrast from the field. Outside, in the snow, he had been fierce and efficient. She had been afraid for the others around her. An omega in distress could send a sympathetic alpha into a berserker rage, and she had been plenty distressed at the time. But, just like had said over a month ago, he wouldn’t go crazy on her because then he couldn’t protect her. He hadn’t gone crazy, he hadn’t let the beast out of the cage, but it sure was shining through his eyes, and it was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. 

“C’mon, you’re starting to fall asleep on me.”

“It’s warm, and perfect.”

“We need to get out, change, and eat something before falling asleep.”

“I can’t, I’m a puddle of goo now.”

He huffed a laugh as he picked her up, “Well…”

In short order they were both redressed in matching soft cotton shirt and pants. His clothing really was more comfortable at this point, even if she did have to roll them up a half dozen times.

“Do I smell take-out?”  
“Sam left it on the counter for us.”

“Why? When?”

“Why, it’s my standard post-fight food. I asked him to pick it up, plus some of your favorites. He dropped it off and I got you out of the bath.”

“I didn’t hear...oh, right, super nose.”

He settled her onto the couch, lit the gas fireplace, served them dinner while she started Netflix and brought up their current episode of Star Trek. She was fast asleep in his arms before the the first episode had finished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Timelines are so hard to keep up with! Please forgive me if I've skewed them in the course of this story. It is still winter, almost Christmas. Darcy and Steve have been circling each other for about a month now (since Thanksgiving).


	11. Occam's Razor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The simplest explanation had been in front of them the whole time.

Steve could hear Clint’s voice, pestering Darcy as he walked down the hall. She had been acting cagey for the past week, and he hoped, for Clint’s sake, that he wasn’t the cause. She wasn’t withdrawing from their growing relationship, but she was more hesitant. 

“Well, you have to.” Clint sounded like a mother hen.

“No, Clint, it isn’t the right time.” Darcy was on the defensive it seemed.

“You are going to make yourself sick if you don’t do it.”

Steve stepped fully into the room. “Make yourself sick how?”

Darcy immediately clammed up, leaving Clint free to explain himself.

“She isn’t nesting properly.”

“Shut up Clint, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” She hissed at him, running from the room.

Steve leveled his gaze at the archer, “Explain.”

“She’s antsy and unsettled, she doesn’t want to move in fully with you...”

“What, did she say why?” he interrupted.

“Bucky.”

He hadn’t wanted to keep secrets from her, and Bucky was a huge one. Very few people could connect his bondmate to the captive Hydra assassin dubbed the ‘Winter Soldier,’ and he wanted her to know that Bucky was still alive. He wouldn’t have her learning about it from someone else, especially if Bucky ever came back to him. “He has nothing to do with this. With her. She knows that.”

“She thinks it does, so she isn’t nesting at her place, or yours. She hasn’t bought a single item for the baby yet because she won’t let herself believe that what you two have is going to last. She is swinging wildly back and forth between the assumption that a triad won’t be possible between you, her and Bucky, or that the mystery father is going to come back and steal her away. She thinks she won’t be able to resist the biological pull.”

“They would be dead if the even tried.” Steve’s gaze was hard, as he turned towards the hallway to the residential quarters.

“Hey Steve, before you go, omega’s react best to grand symbolic gestures.” Clint said.

He rolled his eyes thinking about his days touring as a living symbol and muttered under his breath, “Pretty sure we knew that in the 40’s…”

* * *

He knocked on her door, “Darcy, honey, I know you're in there. Please don’t make me force the door open.” After a moment, he heard the lock disengage.

Opening it slowly, he entered her room. “I love you Darcy, and I will never hurt you, but I can’t stand by and watch you hurt yourself.” He stopped, looking around her space. “You have to be able to nest somewhere, and if you aren’t comfortable doing so with me, that’s OK, but you have to do it here, and you aren’t. The doc explained what can happen when an omega can’t nest.”

“I just…” she trailed off.

“Do you not want to be with me? Do you not want me to bond with you?”

“No, I do want you. I’m just worried...” sadness and resignation were tainting her scent. Clint was right, she wasn’t going to nest until he did something drastic. She needed something she could latch onto, a symbol to continually remind her of his commitment.

“But you have no objections to us?”

“No” she sounded sure of that at least.

“Good.” With that he turned to her dresser and ripped it from the brackets holding it to the wall. “No more waffling Darcy. I want you. I am strong enough to subdue anyone that comes into the picture. You need stability and I will provide it for you. Nothing and no one will take that away.”

She had no choice but to follow him, and her possessions, as they were brought to his, no their, suite.

* * *

“You’re getting plaster on the floors.” She had calmed down, and her natural light hearted nature was resurfacing.

“I’ll clean it up.”

She was watching him, as he situated her dresser in the corner of the bedroom.

“Are you ever unsure?”

“I’m the man with a plan, it wouldn't be fitting to be unsure.”

“Seriously, there are so many things we don’t know.”

“It doesn’t matter.” He paused, considering how much more he should reveal. Explaining about Bucky seems to have done more harm than good. “Do you believe in fate?” he asked, fetching a small package from his closet and placing it in her hands. “I purchased these in October while on the road. I was driving, saw a gift shop right outside the maternity center at a hospital in Utah.” He laughed, “it might have turned into a bit of a fiasco, Captain America, stopping by and all, but, these were what I purchased while I was there.”

She opened the purple gift wrapped bag, revealing a tiny set of baby clothes. Little red stars decorated a white footed onesie. A matching knit cap and terry cloth bib were below the onesie.

“I didn’t know who you were at the time, but I had already been shown this future. A future with us.”

She looked up at him, “What do you mean?”

“When Wanda attacked the team, before she realized what Ultron was really doing, she gave each of us visions. I saw you in mine. You asked me to take you home to Bucky, to Bucky and the baby. From the moment I first laid eyes on you all I have wanted is to make you mine.”

“Because you thought I was going to end up with you and Bucky?”

“It would be great if it played out that way, and that vision gives me hope that it will. You and the baby already came true.” 

“So, if you hadn’t seen me in the vision, would you have pursued me at all?”

“Of course I would have, if anything the vision held me back. I didn’t want to project my feelings onto you. I needed you to want me on your own.”

“This is all so much. I’m processing, I just need to sit down or something.”

“I want to show you something else first, I think you will feel a thousand times better, well, the books all say you will, anyway.” He took her hand and led her across the hall, to what had been his drawing studio. Opening the door revealed soft grey walls decorated with fanciful white murals. A single rocking chair stood sentry in the corner, a hanging lamp providing soft light for the scene. 

“Steve, this, is for me?”

“For all of us. But for now, yes, this is for you, I’ll help you find and assemble furniture, decorate, whatever you need, but this is your space to do what you want for the baby.”

“Oh…” She gingerly stepped into the center of the room, clutching the tiny clothes from Utah in her hands, “The books were right, I do feel better. Nesting….like I'm a damn bird or something.”

“Well, if you want some twigs, I can have the junior staff scurry out and get you some…” He smiled as she laughed and playfully shoved him, “otherwise, I'm going back to bring the rest of your clothes from your quarters.”

“Yeah, ok. There are a few things in the bedside table, the rest is in the closet.”

* * *

He felt like the breath had been knocked out of him. There, in the corner of her closet, placed in a box, was the blanket he had seen in the dream of Darcy in the tower. Gingerly, he reached for it, pulling apart the ziplock bag.

“Bucky…”

The whisper soft words fell from his lips without conscious thought. He knew that scent. He couldn’t forget it, he wouldn’t forget it. He took another long, deep breath. For the first time in months, everything made sense. It had been real. The dream, that had been corrupted by Wanda’s vision wasn’t a dream at all. It had been reality. Darcy had been in the tower after Ultron had attacked them. He found her, put his mark on her, and had carried her to his room. That was why he had thought she was already bonded to him when he met her. His mark was strong, stronger since he had hijacked the bonding bite mark Bucky had left. It could last for months if she didn’t try to remove it. 

He sealed the bag, stood from the closet and went back to Darcy.

* * *

“Darcy, where did you get this?”

“Oh, my original Captain America blanket! Jane insisted that we save it, since it was the only evidence that I had been in the company of someone else while missing. She said it might have been a clue. I think she did it to prove it wasn't James who saved me in New York, but I always thought it smelled sorta like he did. Not that I'm great with scents, more like terrible, actually.”

She made grabby hands at the bag, curious to what she would do, he handed it over. 

“Zip-lock bags are great,” She opened it, sniffing, “it smells just like it did then.”

“Bucky.”

“Bucky? You guys had zip-lock bags in the 40s’?”

“No, this. This is what Bucky smells like. This is his scent. Where did you wake up?” His brain was running down paths he hadn't dared to hope for before. It reminded her of James, could it be?

“In the tower, somewhere, One of the rooms. I don’t really remember, I’m still kinda hazy on that part.”

“Call Jane, I think I know what happened.” He left to go get his laptop and his sketchbook, the one with Bucky, as he had seen him the day the helicarriers went down and sent a quick message to Stark, and made a call to Natasha.

* * *

Jane came charging into the living room, “Darcy, what do you mean Steve figured out what happened when you went missing!”

“I should have noticed tried to piece it together sooner.” He opened the calendar on his laptop. Pointing to a date “Friday night, Ultron attacked Tony’s party.”

Jane was looking over his shoulder “OK, we know that, and that night is when Darcy went missing. And Monday, that is when Happy said she came back.”

“That’s same day that the team encountered Wanda. When I thought I seeing you was just a dream." He paused, turning to Jane, "Jane, that was the first time you saw that blanket, right, she didn’t leave DC with it, did she?” He said, pointing to the ziplock bag.

“Yeah, that was the first time I had seen it...wait, you said you dreamed about her?” Jane asked

“No, well, Wanda did her mind magic on the team, remember Thor told you about it, her mind magic showed me to him, right?” Darcy tried to clarify for Jane.

“Yes and no. I believe I saw you in the lounge on Monday before we went out, and with you wrapped up in that blanket, you would have been smothered by Bucky’s scent.” He ran his hand through his hair, “I’m just glad I didn’t do anything drastic. I remember seeing you, bringing you to my room, marking you…then I joined the team and we left New York to clean up Tony’s mess”

“Bucky, like your friend Bucky, from 70 years ago? Darcy, where the hell did that blanket come from!” Jane whisper yelled.

He laid three drawings of James on the table, “Do you know who that is?”

“James” they answered in unison.

“The Winter Soldier.” Natasha added as she entered the room.

“That’s Bucky, James Buchanan Barnes, and that is what he looked like last time I saw him.” Steve countered.

“Is your Bucky my James?” Darcy was starting to look a little pale.

“Yes, and I think I know what happened. You told me you met James in DC, which is where I last saw him. He told you he was coming to New York. I didn’t think about it then, but after that arrow exploded on us on the training field, you offhandedly said that it was scarier than when the van exploded, I asked you what van, and you froze and said you didn’t know.” Steve paused, turning to Natasha, “Nat?” 

“Stark came through on your off the wall van theory,” She held up her tablet, bringing up a police report of an exploded van that had appeared on near the docks in New York. “He ran a trace of the van, it was registered to this man,” She tapped the screen again, bringing up a mugshot, “Andrei Guskov; a local grunt, but recent associations tie him to a Hydra base in western Pennsylvania. He washed up with a tactical team down river from the van in New York. Time of death was estimated for the night you went missing. Single bullet to the head, Russian made, no rifling. Trademark of the Winter Soldier. Satellite imagery of the base shows it burned to the ground.” 

“Was Stark able to track if the van had been near Darcy’s route back to the tower?” Steve asked Natasha.

“Were you wearing the dampener that night?”

 

“Yeah, Jane and I always do, unless we are out of the country, or at the lab in Puente Antiguo.”

Natasha nodded, “Traffic cam’s cited the van arriving on campus around 5 p.m. It was parked in the same place until 8. The van didn’t reappear until automated dock surveillance picked it up, already on fire, around 10 p.m. There’s a good chance Darcy was in the van while it was being moved. Stark’s dampener is the only reason it would have dropped off the grid like that, for only two hours.”

“You think that man got to me?” Darcy was looking at Steve, fear creeping into her eyes.

“I think the altercation happened on campus. Maintenance was requested to replace a shattered bulb above the van’s parking spot. You left Jane, walked past the van, and we lose the van on video, but we can see that the ambient light from the van’s direction go out at the same time that you arrived.”

“They never had a chance to get you sweetheart. Bucky saved you. Took out a team and destroyed the evidence to protect you, just like he wrapped you up in a blanket that smelled like him and looked like my uniform, to get my attention so I would protect you as well.”

“That doesn’t explain anything, why didn’t she remember, if Bucky was on our side, why was she missing for days, why didn’t he bring her home?” Jane asked.

“After effects of a tranquilizer dart, especially ones meant to unbalance your omega suppressants and cause a heat have been known to have an adverse effect on short term memory.” Natasha was calm and clinical with her answers. “Omega’s are typically hazy after coming out of a heat, she might not ever recover more than impressions of the missing days. His file states that he was modified while Hydra had him, they changed as much of his designation as they could, he would have responded as an alpha. Darcy had a prior relationship with him, it would be logical that he would have stayed with her through the heat. The tower was on lockdown after Ultron broke free. He couldn’t have brought her back.”

“Bucky would have left you,” Natasha said, looking Darcy, “with him, “she cocked her head in Steve’s direction, “so he would be free to finish off the Hydra cell, it would be the only way to protect you at that point.”

Darcy looked to Steve for confirmation. He nodded. “It makes sense, the pieces fit.”

Jane finally spoke again, “So the baby, it’s James’s or Bucky’s or whatever we are calling him. Those goons didn't have her long enough, not really.”

The question sucked the air out of Darcy’s lungs.

Natasha stood, grabbing Jane’s hand, “Come with me. They need some time to process this, and you can elaborate on how a blanket, that the Captain has seen dozens of times already, made him suddenly tie everything together.”

“Oh, today is the first time he ever saw the original blanket. Thor brought her a replacement in London, trying to cheer her up.” Jane answered as the left the suite.

* * *

“So you think James, I mean Bucky, is the father?”

Steve sat down on the couch, pulling her into this lap, “I do, I really think it’s the only thing that makes sense. He wouldn’t have bit you unless HE was the one with you while you were in heat, and you’ve said yourself, you never had any negative impressions associated with the missing time. There would have been traces if you had been manhandled. We still need to find Bucky to confirm…” He could feel her tensing up again, “Hey, this doesn’t change anything between us, we are solid. I am still here, no matter what, if the baby is or isn’t his. ”

“He bit me? Where did it go, the doc couldn’t find any signs and ‘my James’ was a beta, I was sure of it, beta’s don’t bite, not really. And why didn’t I notice he had a metal arm! OH my god, what is wrong with me. This is crazy!”

“A heavy coat and favoring one side would have hidden the arm, unless you saw him shirtless” She shook her head. Steve continued “We won’t know about the scent until we see him again. He was a beta when I went under, but, in DC, he smelled like an alpha.” He tightened his grip on her, before continuing. “The serum probably sped up healing the bite when I marked you. I don’t remember biting you, but I do remember tending to it. I was out of my mind worried that I bonded someone and hurt them, but I couldn’t find any evidence of it.” 

“So, you can lick anyone’s wound and just, heal it right up? Eww…”

“No, not anyone, it’s not in my saliva, not daily. From what I experienced with Bucky, when we reasserted our bond after I had found him again, the bite I gave him was gone by the time we woke up the next morning. During marking and bonding, I triggered whatever it is that makes me heal faster, and then I passed it to him. We assumed it was temporary, but maybe it wasn’t and that was how he survived the fall from the train.”

She was quiet for a while, and he was content to just hold her close, letting the memories wash over him. 

“Do you think he will come back to us?”

“If he doesn’t, we draw him out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for all of the feedback, comments, kudos, and love! Don't worry guys, Steve is the most stubborn man we know, he will bring Bucky home.


	12. Call me, maybe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy and Steve's concoct a plan to find Bucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note, I make a super vague reference to the "morning after pill."

“We need to draw him out?”

“Yes, we are off grid here. This town is small, virtually no CCTV footage to worry about, it’s why we picked this facility to set up base in. Shield had something similar designed for Puente Antiguo after Thor landed, keeping the bifrost burn marks off of Google Earth was a priority for a while. The facility itself is shielded from satellite view, we have designated dead times that that allow the satellites to pass when the base is deserted, otherwise, Stark’s tech interferes, just like your bracelet, but on a more global scale.”

“Tony doesn’t mess around, does he?”

“He’s learning, finally.”

“So, if Bucky can’t find us, and we can’t find him, what do we do?”

“Get his attention, send him message. How do you feel about seeing the ball drop in Times Square? Cap gets asked to attend every year.”

Darcy was sitting by the fire he had just made, looking at the Christmas tree, a glass of eggnog in her hand. Her Christmas presents were spread out around her. “Now that I have my old number back, what do you think the chances are that he will call.”

“Low. The number went dark after Ultron, Happy made sure that both you and Jane were safe from tracking. When he got the new numbers he set up the old ones to be redistributed, if Bucky tried to call you once, he would have realized that your number was gone, that you had gone dark for protection. We can hope that he will get your message, and try again.”

“So, reactivating it, it’s just a shot in the dark?”

“Cast a wide enough net, you’re bound to catch a fish. Now, c’mere. I want to see if I can feel the little Bug moving.”

“Can’t, I’m trapped in the fortress of presents you gave me, you’re going to have to come and get me.”

“Yes ma’am.”

* * *

Darcy felt absolutely ridiculous. She was standing beside the event platform with various other VIP guests, TV crews, the mayor and a few celebrities. Thor was close by, ‘blending in,’ ready to defend or spirit her away while Steve prepped for his dramatic entry. She readjusted the giant New Year’s glasses, her disguise for the night obscuring her face, and focused on the calming presence of her newly formed bond with Steve. She knew he was several hundred feet in the air, getting ready to skydive to the ground before the ball drop began. If the plan went correctly, their photo would be splashed across every tabloid by morning and video of them would be viral on YouTube. She smoothed her hands down the front of her coat, bright red, lined with the same bullet resistant fabric that the team’s tack suits were made from, it really emphasized her baby bump, Steve loved it. Her 15 minutes of fame, and she was going to look like a whale. An unidentifiable whale, but a whale nonetheless.

She heard the Channel 4 broadcaster announce that their special guests were on their way. The crowed roared with excitement. Just a few more minutes to go. She looked up, trying to pick out the quinjet in the night sky.

A second cheer went up when 15 parachutes were spotted coming down to the crowd. At 100 feet from the ground Steve’s shoot disappeared and someone screamed. A second later the rest of the shoots were gone, and replaced by wing packs. The crowd was stunned into silence as Captain America’s silhouette could be picked out, freefalling. Darcy just smiled, she had watched the team of the elite paratroopers that were recruited for the stunt while they trained with Steve. He hurtled towards the ground, switching from his horizontal face down position, to land in a crouch, slamming the edge of his shield into the landing platform, absorbing the worst of the impact. He stood, looked right at her, and winked. The crowed went wild. He harnessed his shield and the rest of the paratroopers, including Sam, came down around him.

“We didn’t bring anyone with us to kiss at midnight, can I get a few volunteers?.” Sam’s part of this was to make sure anyone in front of Darcy was passed to one of the other 13 troopers. The single women behind her tried to surge forward.

Steve walked to the edge of the platform, the tops of his boots even with her head. He reached down grabbed her hand and she was lifted out of the throng. His left hand slipped under her arm in preparation to toss her in the air above him, and hesitated, waiting for confirmation that she was OK to be thrown. She nodded once and was airborne. She sucked in a breath and screwed her eyes shut, landing in his waiting arms. “Everything OK with you and the baby?” He whispered into her ear.

“We are both just glad to be in your arms again.” The shutters of photographers clicked nonstop, she thought their plan might just work out after all. Steve set her back on her feet, and they both looked up as the ball began it’s decent.

“10”

“9”

“8”

“7”

“6”

“5”

“4”

“3”

“2”

“1”

He twirled her around, one arm bracing her back, the other hand cradling her neck as he dipped her, their lips met as the fireworks went off in the sky. Kissing Steve was heaven. The thrum of the crowd fell away until there was nothing but the two of them. He was warm and strong; an unyielding wall of muscle protecting her from the outside world. Her heart felt like it might burst.

“Captain,” Christine Everheart walked up to them, “I see you won't be lonely in the new year.”

“Couldn’t leave my best girl alone on a night like this.” He moved to stand behind her, hands wrapped protectively around the swell of her abdomen.

“And after tonight, any plans?” Everheart asked.

* * *

The punk had moves, he would give him that. Flying in with an air of danger. Tossing her up in the air and catching her like a princess. No wonder she was making moon eyes at him. Bucky spent the next hour scrolling through cell phone footage and broadcasts of Captain America and the ‘mystery woman.’ Thankfully, the ridiculous glasses hid her identity from the casual observer. Steve was smart, he wasn’t putting her in danger with this public display at least.

“If he wanted my attention, why didn’t he just get her to call me.” He had numbers and burner phones waiting for her in safety deposit boxes across the city. Instead he was left pulling out his hair, trying to determine if he was being given secret clues like he was in a damn James Bond movie, or if they were flaunting their relationship with veiled references to his past with Steve.

* * *

Bucky walked up to Steve and Darcy, reared back and punched Steve in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.

“This punk messing with you doll?” He took Darcy’s smile as permission to kiss her thoroughly before taking her hand and leading her to his waiting car.

“My hero, what brings you to my rescue this time?”

“That fuddy-duddy never knew what a dame really wanted. I’ve finished, you’re safe. If you’re still willing, I plan for us to pick up where we we left off on DC.”

She looked back at Steve’s prone form. “I can’t just leave him...”

“Because of the baby, I understand.” he turned back to her, letting his flesh hand trail across her stomach. It was firm with the life that she and Steve had created. “Don’t worry, he’ll find us when he wakes.”

They got into the car, driving off into the sunset. He would get the evening alone with her at least. He couldn’t wait to rediscover her body.

He woke up. The New Year’s sun was shining through his window. The taste of her on his lips faded with the dream. He wasn’t going to punch Steve. He thought about it, what with the theatrics with New Year’s Eve in Times’ Square, and let's not forget getting Darcy pregnant, the punk deserved a good punch in the face, but he wasn’t going to hit him, he’d spend the rest of his life making up for hitting Steve while he was still Hydra’s weapon.

Time to get back to work. He walked over to the coffee machine, started it to brewing a new pot of coffee, then, turned on the iPod.

‘Call me, maybe’ spilled from the tiny speaker.

“C’mon girl, what are you trying to tell me, saying this crap is your all time favorite song, sarcasm or a clue…” He continued listening to the song while he got out the rest of his breakfast, “I killed the boys who were chasing you already. Is it the wishing wells, my arm? Nothing is in our way!”

He sat down with his breakfast, coffee and toast, and began going back through the footage he had found, trying to piece together the clues they were leaving. Her identity and location had to be kept secret. Steve had turned on his full ‘Captain America’ number one war bond sales man persona and had won them plenty of air time on New Year’s Eve. They had been so close. Just on the other side of the city, and he hadn’t known it. They had flown in and back out leaving no solid scent trail for him, or anyone else, to follow. He pulled up another video, his favorite, of Darcy asking Steve what he was getting her for her birthday. Her smile was so bright, it warmed him everytime he saw it. That video cut off, up next was Steve’s response to an unknown question, saying he was going to take her to the future. If that idiot thought he was going to wait until Stark’s expo rolled back around to finally find them he was crazier than the Red Skull.

He would go out for more groceries, stock up on Darcy’s favorites. He didn’t know what Steve would eat now. Did he like sushi, tex-mex seemed pretty American these days.

* * *

He watched the couple ice skating in Central Park. Three cups of hot chocolate steaming by his elbow. She was laughing, gripping his forearms as he spun her around the rink. He had missed having them in his life. Being with the both of them was even better than he had imagined. They were a family in a way that just he and Steve had never been able to be. A woman’s touch, it was exactly what they had been missing.

They changed course as they caught sight of him. Darcy waved wildly at him, shouting something about how she was a natural at this. His breath caught in his throat when she lost her balance momentarily, but Steve was right there, steadying her as they made their final approach. Steve lifted Darcy over the wall of the rink into his waiting arms, the punk loved showing of his strength.

Her nose and cheeks were red from the cold, and while the doctor had approved her continued activity, he couldn’t help but worry. He handed her one of the cups as Steve swung himself onto their side. Snow crunching as the blades of his skates sunk to the ground.

“You not going to join us Buck?”

“I'll let you two have your fun now, save my strength to keep you both warm all night long.” He reached up, pulling Steve’s face to his, kissing him hard on the mouth. God he loved them both.

The sheets were tangled around him when he woke from the dream of them at the ice rink in Central Park. He slammed a hand in the pillow beside him. 6 more days, Steve and Darcy would be somewhere for her birthday. He had 6 days to solve the riddle the two were broadcasting to the world.

* * *

He lined up the final shot. Steve had won her a small fox, and he was planning on winning Steve the dancing monkey, just to piss him off. Retribution for the wild goose chase he had been on. He WAS the better marksman, even with the sorry pop gun he was forced to use.

He leaned over, stealing a bite of her icecream as he fired his last shot. The tiny ping made her jump.

“Cocky thing, aren't you?”

“Not even trying right now. Just getting a feel for my weapon. I intend to win the giant panda for you.”

He snapped out of his daydream when he caught Steve’s scent. Darcy’s was there as well, but muted when compared to the super alpha at her side. They were downwind of him, giving him ample opportunity to observe before making his final play.

* * *

“What if he doesn’t remember my birthday? He didn’t call, he didn’t show up at that dance hall, he didn’t show up at that Italian place and we were there every day for a week. If I see another ravioli I’m going to hurl! And that opera concert. You made me sit through hours, even though you know my bladder is the size of a walnut now. Or, he might be seeing Sam and Thor, and like, think that we are setting him up, and what if he backs out, and decides I’m not worth it….”

“Funnel cake.” Steve knew she was spiraling out of control. Nervous, pent up energy, an almost palpable need to see Bucky again, to know, once and for all what had happened.

“What?”

“Funnel cake, you will feel better if I get you some.”

“I’m too nervous to eat!”

“Cotton candy then, c’mon doll, he’s gonna clock me in the head if he see’s you worryin’ your lip like that.”

“OK, right. Your right. Always right. Oh, hey, will you win me a prize, I think watching you shooting tiny tin monkeys will make me feel better.”

“Because you think I have a thing about monkeys?”

“I don't understand it, but I accept your inner turmoil over the prehensile tail.”

“It's not…” he sighed, the battle to take her mind off the situation had been won, best to leave the conversation there, find the cotton candy vendor and then win her a prize.

Steve was lining up the last target when he caught the scent. He fired, knocking the last obstacle down, and grabbed the white bear that Darcy had requested he win for her. Handing it over, he lead her around the corner of the booth.

“He’s here.”

Darcy’s eyes were wide as she tried to look everywhere at once. “Where, how do you know, what do we do.”

Steve tapped his nose, he could see her pulse notch up, her breathing was quickly speeding up as well. It wouldn’t do for her to panic now. “Darcy, calm down. Stress isn’t good for the baby. He’s here. We are going to find him, and then take him home with us. OK.”

“OK”

“Darcy, look me in the eyes, just take a few breaths, then we are going to turn walk around that corner and get Bucky back.”

They walked back out into the throng of people, and there he was. Casual and cocky, sitting on a table, smirking at the pair of them. Steve was cautious as they approached, eyes scanning for a trap, one hand gripping Darcy’s tightly. She was a whirlwind of emotion and he didn’t know if she was going to run towards Bucky or away.

They stopped, inches from his outstretched legs.

“Is that all the punk could win you? If you wanted a prize, you should have let me do the shooting.”

“Jerk” Steve said, hope filling his eyes. “How much do you remember?”

“I remember your mother’s name was Sarah. That you used to put newspaper’s in your shoes.” He paused, standing, his voice hardening in a way it never had before, “And that you never would have…getting her pregnant, Jesus Steve!”

“James, the baby isn’t Steve’s.”

Bucky fell back into his seat, “Then whose?”

“I don’t know, I was hoping you would remember that part.”

“It’s my...It’s mine? The baby, you got pregnant when we…but the pharmacist. You said...”

“What happened to me, if you know, please, you have to tell me!” Tears were forming in her eyes, she was getting more upset by the second. Steve couldn’t control the low growl coming from him. He could see the fair’s patrons giving them a wider and wider berth.

“You really don't remember? Is that why you didn’t call me? Did you think I, that I could have forced you?” Bucky sunk down further in his seat. Deflated.

“Call you? I tried. You vanished. Nothing about you was real. And you were what, just leading me on in DC? We still don’t even know what happened to me, theories, Steve said you were there, were you there? When they?.” Steve could feel her emotions change: anger and betrayal taking over the sadness.

“Of course I was there, you don’t remember?” Steve could smell the confusion wafting off of Bucky.

“Did you, were you part of it, did they make you, oh my god, this is worse than we thought” her voice tapered out into a silent whisper.

Big fat tears were falling down her face now, the fight leaving her just as quickly as it had arrived. Steve turned her into his chest, muffling her sobs. “C’mon Buck, this isn’t the place to hash everything out. All we need to know right now is if you hurt Darcy.”

“God no Steve! I would never!” He was standing, looking fierce, protective. Good.

“And you want to be with us?”

“Till the end of the line.”

Steve reached out an arm, drawing Bucky into the hug calming the man back down. He watched as Bucky placed a kiss on top of her head and said, “I thought she would be happier to see me.”

Darcy huffed a small laugh into his chest. “I can’t be happy, my mascara is running, and you made me ruin Steve’s shirt.”

“Nothing’s ruined, and if you let me see your face, I’d tell you how beautiful you were.” Bucky said, voice low.

‘Too much’ Steve thought to himself as she started crying again. “Gimme your hat Buck.” He said as he took the hat and pulled it low on Darcy’s head. “There, safe and sound, no one can see that Bucky was bein’ a jerk to you.”

She swiped her cheeks a couple of times with her sleeve and laughed, “Good thing he had one, you would have been recognized for sure if you had to give up yours.” She playfully bumped her shoulder into his chest, and started off towards the exit.

“Mood Swings” he mouthed to Bucky before saying out loud, “C’mon Buck, let's take this somewhere private, get everything sorted out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this chapter is hard to follow. I'm trying to work on the text so that you know which sections are dreams after you have read them.


	13. Don't Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky takes Steve and Darcy home.

Bucky was miffed. “How the hell was I supposed to know that referencing some stupid pop song” 

“Call Me, Maybe” Darcy interrupted. 

“Was supposed to clue me in that you had reactivated your number, and that I could call you? Doll, I love ya, but you’d make a terrible operative.” He finished. 

“Whatever, I am excellent, we got you back!”

“Yeah, ya did, didn’t you.” He couldn't get enough of her. She was in his arms, finally. She was in the home he had made for them, his whole body was humming with pleasure at having her there. Steve was standing off to the side, leaning on the counter that divided the living room from the kitchen, hands gripping the granite. Steve probably felt the pull to reunite just as much as he did, but Darcy had to come first. He had alleviated many of her fears already: that she hadn’t been kidnapped, that he was the only one that had been with her while she was in heat, that he had seen Steve with her before he left, but he still had a long way to go before she was as relaxed with him as she was with Steve, as she had been in DC. Once he gained Darcy’s trust, Steve would calm down, and then they could work everything else out. 

“Stop fidgeting, and join us. The sofa is plenty big for the three of us.” If Steve broke that counter he'd have to break his face. 

Steve looked at the two of them and made two aborted attempts to join them before Darcy spoke up. “Can you light the fire Steve? Nothing says ‘we’re home’ like a crackling fire.” Given a task, Steve finally settled in. 

“He gets antsy when he doesn't have something to do…” She trailed off. 

“I know doll. I know. So, what happens now?”

“Order some pizza?”

“And a salad.” Steve interrupted. 

“Yes Steve, pizza and a salad. He's trying to turn me into a rabbit…we will eat talk it all out over yummy yummy carbs!”

“Pizza OK Buck?” Steve prompted when he didn’t reply.

He nodded once to Steve while he tried to comprehend the input from his metal hand, “Is that the baby?”

“Yeah, I know, I got like super fat, but the doc says it's all baby in there.”

“You're gorgeous. So beautiful.” He paused, adjusting the placement of his hand, “there it is again, that's the baby, right there.”

“You can feel that? I've felt flutters for a week or two, but no one else has been able to feel anything. It's supposed to be another week or longer before kicks can be felt from the outside.”

He moved the metal hand to follow the small vibrations, “you mean I'm feelin this before Stevie?”

“Yeah,” her voice was soft, tracing the plates around the wrist joint. “It's more sensitive?”

“First time it's been useful for something other than killin…”

“It saves too, I might not really remember it, but that arm saved my life.”

Steve came back in the room and must have sensed the change between him and Darcy, because his whole demeanor relaxed, “Pizza will be here in a half hour, mind if I join you?”

He settled in beside Bucky, slipping in under Darcy’s outstretched legs. He wrapped one arm around Bucky’s shoulder, the other was resting on Darcy’s hip. “You doin OK?” Steve asked Darcy. 

“Yeah, I’m good. Just, like, basking in my super soldier sandwich.”

“Oh, are you going to be too full for pizza then?”

“No Steve...there is always room for pizza.”

Steve and Darcy were playful, teasing, he had never seen Steve behave like this with a woman before. The shy guy from Brooklyn was long gone. This Steve was comfortable in his skin. He knew himself, he knew her so well. 

Steve got up, and Bucky shot him a questioning look. Darcy answered, “He can smell the pizza getting here long before the dude rings the doorbell. He loves freaking out the junior staff on the base, pulling open the door right before the ring the bell.”

Sure enough, 30 seconds later the doorbell sounded, and Steve came back with their order. 

“Do we not eat at the table anymore Stevie?”

“Trust me Buck, some battles cannot be won. Welcome to the modern American family. We use the coffee table for meals.”

Darcy ate most of her salad and a slice of pepperoni and half a slice of the meat lovers before giving up stating that she was done, and it was now nap time. Steve took her plate, sliding the last piece onto his, before helping her up and directing her to the hall bath.

“You two are bonded?” It wasn’t really a question, they were so tuned into each other, and really it was best, for her sake that she wasn’t unbonded while pregnant, but it still hurt, he didn’t think his bond had taken.

“Yeah, since Christmas. How are you taking all of this. What were you even expecting to happen.”

“Honestly this was supposed to happen with you first.”

Steve nearly spit his food out, “What, were you planning on getting me pregnant?”

“Ooo, pregnant Steve, sexy.” Darcy walked back into the room and fell into Steve’s lap, her position was now reversed, feet tucked into his lap, her head resting on Steve’s chest.

“Don’t drip on me, napkin around the glass soldier. And, I’m out in 3, 2, 1.” Darcy began making fake snoring noises.

Steve raised his glass where Bucky see, “I woke her up once when the condensation dripped on her. Once. It hasn’t happened again. She forgets nothing.”

“Still awake, can’t talk about me yet.” She snuggled further into Steve’s arms before reaching out a hand towards him. He took the hand, bringing it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand before holding it between him and Steve.

“This place is amazing, Bucky. How did you get it. Is it a safe house?”

“No, it isn’t tainted by anything from Hydra. I was able to buy it outright from an old Russian couple. I found some of the war bonds my grandmother had hidden, dug them up, cashed them in. No mortgage, no questions.”

“Shhhh….the bug will hear you.” Darcy muttered, mostly asleep.

“She’s BUGGED! Steve!”

“Calm down, that’s just what she calls the baby.” Steve whispered back.

“What?”

“She started calling the baby her little bug because of the morning sickness and a 24-hour bug is when you get sick, for just a day, usually upsets your stomach. Her’s is just a 9 month bug.”

“She’s been real sick then?”

“I wasn’t there for all of it, but, I think so. Jane has alluded to her being pretty sick. Once I was able to provide something for her body to regulate against, she perked right back up.”

He laughed at Steve’s phrasing. At least that hadn’t changed.

“What?”

“Just say it, once you were able to be her alpha, she got better.”

“It’s not like that. I’m not like them. I don’t just override her wants with mine.” He clenched his jaw was the only sign that he was angry at the stereotypical alpha norm.

“Yeah, OK. Why did you leave her? I LEFT her in your care.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“The hell you didn’t. I was looking down the scope, I SAW you pick her up. Why didn’t you at least come back to her?”

“Some of my memories were scrambled in the mission, right after I met her. I didn’t know that she was real, even after we met up again months later. It wasn’t until I asked her to move in, that we figured everything out.”

He leaned back on the sofa, Darcy still sound asleep between them. “This is so messed up. She was supposed to be in Europe when I reconnected with you. We could have gotten reaquanted, figured out how to be together again, I don’t even know what Hydra has done to me. I can’t feel you anymore, when we were going down, when you fell into the water, I thought you were gone, it was the first time I realized I didn’t feel you at all, that I was SUPPOSED to feel you.”

“I’m here, and I can still feel you. It isn’t like it was before, but I can feel the connection.” Steve’s eyes were so earnest, so blue. 

“At least one of us can. I tried to bond with Darcy, we tried several times.” Bucky closed his eyes, blowing out a long breath. “Whatever they did, to make me feel like an alpha, I don’t think I lets me bond her, I had hoped that you were going to bond her that day. That maybe that would fix whatever is wrong with our bond.”

“I think I almost did bond her. You set it up perfectly, sending her in, smelling like that. I know that I lost control for a while there. Those memories are hazy.”

“I never understood it, what you meant by seeing red, being hazy after a fight. It’s like a torrent running through me, my blood has been on fire since I broke free of their control. How do you stand it?”

“It’s always been like that for me, being bonded helps. Gives me an anchor. I never realized how different alphas were from betas and omegas until I started reading all of her maternity books. Doctors, science, they know so much more than we ever thought possible. I’ve gone to her doctor’s appointments, the ultrasound is amazing, seeing the baby, hearing the heartbeat.”

“They let you in her at her doctor’s visit?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty much expected that a bond mate will be present.”

“I should have been there, I would have, if I could have found you earlier. How did you hide from me?”

“Stark, he keeps us off the grid. The whole team, and our associates, have devices that redirect camera feeds. It doesn’t work as well in busy cities, like New York. Some of the camera’s aren’t affected, and it will make it look like little black holes walking around. You can track where the camera’s aren’t looking to find us. We stay in upstate New York, it’s a quiet town. Not enough CCTV for you to be able to notice an anomaly.”

“Stark? That’s Tony, right? Howard’s kid. Is he anything like his father?”

“More than he thinks.”

He lapsed back into silence. They were together. Realistically, the reunion had been fairly painless. Darcy having lost her memory of their time together while she was in heat left him and Steve on an uneven playing field. Steve had more intimate time with her, she was more comfortable with Steve, he wanted her to wake up, so he could try and equal out their relationship.

“How long will she be asleep? Does she always sleep like that?”

“Usually, a couple of hours after lunch.”

“And you stay with her?”

“Jealous that I finally have the pretty girl in my arms?”

“You are such a punk.”

“It's been a stressful day, and she was up early this morning. She will probably be asleep for longer today, if you need to get up and do something, feel free. I'm content to wait with her.”

His hands itched to do something, he thought about cleaning his guns, but he didn’t want to handle them in front of her, at least not until she was comfortable around him again. 

“Buck, why don't you go out and get her a birthday cake, she's really into cheesecake and strawberries right now. She had pizza for lunch, she needs some more meat in her dinner. Asian, stir fry would be good. If you have a menu laying around, I can mark some things I know she will want.”

“And I wouldn’t know what she wanted, what she needs? I met her first, courted her first. In DC, she was mine.” He wanted to laugh, or cry, or goad Steve into a fight. Because he was sitting there, real live action figure, sitting still for hours at a time, worrying about a dame’s diet of all things, and being completely content to do so. 

As if sensing his thoughts, Steve looked up at him and smiled. “I know, you think I've changed. Where did the Brooklyn boy who never backed down from a fight go? Well, I'll tell you. Keeping her healthy is a fight. She would live off of canned soda and cookies if I let her. It requires constant vigilance, strategy, and a bit of negotiating, and while I might not win every battle, I will win the war. I want you fighting on my side, we can be a team in this.”

“So, stir fry, cake, anything else we need for dinner?” He asked, handing him a menu from the kitchen. Steve was right, Omega biology could be fragile during pregnancy.

He left to pick up pick up their order and stop by a grocer for cake and candles. On his way, he saw a book about pregnancy and picked it up. The Idiot's Guide to Becoming a Father. 

Rule Number One: Your mate is always right. 

‘I have two mates now. So, who is the most right?’ He continued reading. Three hours later he returned to find Steve still cradling a sleeping Darcy. “Is she OK? Should she still be asleep?”

“She’s fine, but I didn’t want her to wake until you were back.” 

“Thanks, I, um, got distracted, reading a book.” He flashed the guide in Steve’s direction.

“It’s a whole new world we didn’t even know about, isn’t it.”

“Yeah. Well go on, wake her up.”

“Darcy, Bucky’s brought you dinner,” When she didn’t respond, he added “And there is cake for your birthday!”

“Cake? mmm, cake, 5 more minutes, it’s comfy here.”

“C’mon doll, time for dinner.” He said as he slid out from under her.

“You go on, save yourselves, I'm becoming one with the blankets.”

“If that's true, I might have to enact protocol theta.”

“You wouldn’t dare, besides, James, I mean Bucky, will protect me.”

“I'm too fast.” And Steve was on her. She squirmed, giggling for 10 seconds before shouting “UNCLE!!” 

He hadn’t been able to stop himself, his weapon was drawn and pointed at Steve before he realized he was just tickling her. He holstered the gun.

“Ok, ok. Blanket people surrender me unto your care.”

“Oh my god! I can’t believe you let me sleep that long!” Darcy was peering out of the window by the dining table. “It's dark out. What time is it even?”

“Quarter of eight. Are you hungry? Asian buffet is on the table, plus some cake for your birthday.”

“Mmmm, what else do I get for my birthday?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, this might never end if I am only capable of advancing a story 6 hours a chapter!


	14. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy likes being in a super soldier sandwich.

She stretched, bracketed between two warm bodies. “Steeeve….”

“Shh doll, go back to sleep”

“Can't, little bug requires a bathroom break.”

“Ah, ok.” He said slipping out of bed, pulling her with him. “Need anything else while I'm up?” The fact that he could go from dead asleep to 100% awake and aware with just the tiniest prodding was amazing to her. 

“Do you think there's any apple juice?”

“You hate apple juice.” Bucky’s voice was scratchy from sleep. Maybe he woke easily too?

“The little Bug changed my tastebuds. It's like The Doctor when he regenerates, I've had to relearn everything about myself.”

“God doll, I missed so much. If I had known…”

“It's ok. You were protecting me. I understand why you did it, and we are all together now. But really, I need go to the bathroom.”

Steve led her to the door, “Sleep OK?”

“Yeah, last night was pretty perfect.”

He kissed her once on the top of her head, then shut the door when she went through. His light footsteps could be heard as he walked away to give her some privacy. Surveying the bathroom as she did her morning business, she realized just how spoiled she had become with Steve. In the months that they had known each other he had totally reworked his life to revolve around her.

She went back to the bedroom, James was sitting up in the bed. He wore a light blue shirt, long sleeves that hid most of the metal arm. The buttons were left undone, revealing his muscled physique. He had made a few jokes about the shirt during the night. ‘Leaving something to the imagination,’ ‘don’t want your hair to get caught in the metal,’ ‘Steve hates the cold, gotta keep it covered up or he might leave the bed.’ She wondered how much it bothered him, if he was deflecting with humor or really thought that the arm was problematic in the sack. Either way, the shirt he had was soft, and he still showed enough skin to fulfill her amped up libido.

His grin was pure sin as she drew closer to the bed. “C’mere. Let me tuck you back in while Steve's out getting groceries.”

And really, how could she say no to that. Her head might not remember, but her body knew what it was like to be with James. Her head was also having a hard time thinking of him as Bucky. Both Steve and James held themselves in check when they were with her, Steve was controlled power while James was gentle dominance. She wondered what they had been like together, what they would have been like if she didn’t join in.

* * *

Steve returned with groceries, her current cravings, and breakfast from a bakery around the corner. The smell of warm croissants were heaven. 

“Hide this” she hissed to Bucky as she passed him the plate with her nearly finished slice of cheesecake. He did his best, cramming the last couple of bites in his mouth while standing up to put the plate in the kitchen.

Moments later, Steve walked into the room and frowned at her. “I know you were eating the cheesecake, for breakfast.”

“James! Bucky, you little…” she yelled to the kitchen where Bucky was hiding.

“Can’t say no, to either of you, I guess.” was his response.

Turning back to Steve’s imposing form she attempted to negotiate, “Cheesecake reduces my stress, and you are always telling me to reduce my stress.” At his unimpressed stare she continued, “I promise to eat extra broccoli with dinner.”

“Acceptable, breakfast is in the dining room, eat up!”

She entered the dining room, where Bucky had laid out the breakfast items. The prior night’s activities had given him his swagger back. He had been timid with her the day before, now he was his old self. Well, the old James that she knew from DC, she’d have to ask Steve if he had always been this cocky and self assured.

“So,” she started, loading up her plate with food, “now that we got all of that sexual tension out of the air, can we talk about how you, Mr. Bond, found me in New York in the first place. How did you know I was there.”

“I was in New York, tracking Steve. That was the plan. Find him, surrender, ask him to take me back. You said you and Jane weren't coming back stateside for at least a month. When Thor brought you to the Avengers I was planning on coming clean and rekindling our relationship. Then I would introduce you to Steve, at which point you would fall madly in love with us.”

“So, you knew who I was the whole time? I assumed you dropped me off with Steve because you found out about Thor and stuff during one of those conversations I don’t remember along with all the great sex that lead to” she pointed at the baby bump.

“I looked you up after we met. The data dump from SHIELD had you in it, I knew you weren’t on an enemy team and that when I was able to tell you who I really was, you could accept it. More likely to than the average girl, anyway. Thor isn't even human, and you are fine with him.”

“So, you were there for Steve, why send me to him instead of going there yourself.”

“I caught your scent when you arrived, I couldn't help but follow you. I hadn’t reconnected with Steve, I was still working on the best way to do that, and he was in and out of the city a lot at that point.”

Steve pulled out his phone, passing the it to Bucky, “Was this you? Is this who attacked Darcy.”

“Yeah, that’s the van, I cleaned up the scene on campus, drove it to the docks, dealt with it and the people, and took another car back into the city with Darcy. That’s when we saw that the tower had been attacked.”

“And, I was going into heat?”

“Yeah, probably intentional. Brainwashing would have been their endgame. Going through a heat makes it easier to control an omega. They, uh...they have different protocols than what they did to me.” She watched as all of Bucky’s swagger dissipated at the mention of what had been done to him.

“Thank you, if I haven’t explicitly said it already, thank you for saving me. I’m sorry I got in the way of you and Steve.”

“What, no, you aren’t in the way doll, this is what I always wanted for us, all three of us were supposed to be together.” Bucky exclaimed at the same time Steve said “Sweetheart, no, you’re never gonna be in the way.”

“Promise?” she asked, eyes filling with hopeful tears.


	15. Catch Me if I Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve, Darcy & Bucky have some fun before making their way to the Avengers' base.

This was nice he thought, staring at the dawn inching it’s way across the ceiling. Actually, it was better than nice, it was perfect. Darcy was pressed against him, her head on his chest, one leg thrown over him, her right foot, peeking out from under the covers at the edge of the bed. She was a sprawler. His right arm wrapped around her body, keeping her close. He finally felt the faintest flutters from the baby echoing just below his ribs, where their bodies met.

Bucky was ignoring his own pillow in favor of Steve’s, his breath ghosting across his bare shoulder. He slept on his side, bracketing Darcy’s body with his, their hands intertwined, resting on Steve’s stomach. 

He reached his free hand up to brush the hair out of Bucky’s face and couldn’t help but run his fingers passed the bond mark he had placed on him the night before. It had been a battle of wills, Alpha’s almost never formed bonded pairs, it was far more typical to have a beta or a second omega as the third person in a triad. At first, Bucky had wanted to bite him as well, but, once the bonding process had begun, and their damaged bond had been repaired, Bucky lost the desire to bite either of them shortly before he lost consciousness. He laughed to himself, thinking about Darcy’s reaction to Bucky conking out on them. It was a natural part of the bonding process, sleeping through the most painful stages while the bite was healing. Claiming Bucky had given him a surge of energy and he had spent the rest of the night making love to Darcy. Both of his bondmates would be exhausted today.

Hours later, Bucky finally stirred. 

“Stevie?”

“I’m here.”

“I can finally feel her, feel the bond between all of us”

“We did it Buck, a bit roundabout, but we are a family now.”

“I feel like I did before, like I was in the war, the fire inside me has finally been put out. Is that how it is for you?”

“It never goes out for me, it’s always under the surface, just waiting for me to let it free.” He could still smell the tang of the alpha presence in Bucky’s scent. He might feel like a beta again, but he certainly didn’t smell like one. It reminded him of Banner right before he changed.

“Well, you can keep it, it was driving me crazy.”

“You ready to get up?”

“Not yet, I‘m going to sleep a bit more.”

“I’ll be here when you wake.” He thought Bucky was back asleep before he had even answered.

It was another hour before Darcy finally stirred. “Hey you.” She said, smiling up at him. “Is our narcoleptic bondmate still sleeping?”

“You did the same thing when we bonded.”

“Mmmmm, I dunno, I don’t think I would have fallen asleep. Maybe you weren’t doing it right.” she loved to challenge him. 

He rolled them both out of Bucky’s grasp and positioned himself over her. He balanced on his forearms, peppering kisses across her neck and jaw.

“You,” kiss, “weren't,” kiss, “complaining.” kiss.

“How would you know, it's common knowledge that alphas lose themselves all the time when bonding.”

“Oh, I know, but I can't afford to let myself lose control with you, especially with the baby.” He let one hand trail down her body, resting just above her hip.

“Stop it, you're gonna make me go all weepy again! Admit it, I didn't just fall asleep!”

“Didn’t have a choice doll, once the bond was in place, you were out like a light.”

“Well then. Good thing you’re so strong. Otherwise I would have fallen off the back of the couch!”

“Well, I wasn’t planning on bonding you in the living room, I was supposed to do it properly, in the bedroom, I couldn’t help myself though, moment just got away from me.”

“Cause I’m irresistible.”

“Exactly.”

“Can I be irresistible in the shower with you?” She asked, wrapping her legs around his hips.

“Absolutely”

Bucky grunted in protest when he pulled her out of bed. They would make it up to him later that evening.

* * *

“You know I hate waking up a...What are you two doing in here?” Bucky walked into the room where Steve was balancing with Darcy. 

Truthfully, Steve felt a little silly standing in awkward poses, counting to 10 or 20, but it made her happy, and was really good for the pregnancy overall. It also had an added bonus of making Jane and Natasha inordinately pleased. Having them pleased gave him backup when he needed to talk Darcy into doing something she really didn’t want to do.

He had been practicing yoga with Darcy since Natasha had informed him of her aversion to the only prenatal yoga class near the base. The movements themselves weren’t a challenge for him, his body hadn’t been made for this particular activity, but it had no issues bending and flexing into the myriad of poses he had already seen. The challenge was keeping Darcy on track. She had been very active with yoga prior to becoming pregnant, and the changes in her body frustrated her. Since bonding, Bucky had been sleeping later, granting him this time alone with Darcy.

“Practicing.” Steve answered.

“Practicing what?”

“Being trees.” was Darcy’s chipper reply. “Payback’s a bitch! I’m going to show everyone up when we get back to class. I’m already bringing GQ’s sexiest soldier with me, and he is way stronger than any other man in that class, which means those elitist snobs will be drooling over him, AND I will look awesome, because those super muscles more than compensate for my lack of balance and coordination. You should join us, then it will be twice the burn!”

“I’ll let you two have that. I don’t see anyone staying zen when they realize my arm is metal.”

“You can’t even tell, not unless you already know it’s there!”

“Oh, you can hear it when I really use it, and if I was in whatever that position is,” he held up the book they had been working from, “I can assure you, the servo’s would engage and everyone would know.”

“Did you just call me fat.” Darcy was teasing Bucky, Steve could feel her glee despite the fact that her eyes were tearing up.

“What, no! Please don’t cry, I wasn’t saying that…” he looked to Steve, “Steve, fix it, I can smell the tears!”

“She’s just teasing you Buck, now c’mon, you can spot us while we work on the next pose.”

“Whatever, we don’t need a spot, we need inspiration. Puppy pose!”

“Better do what the lady asks.”

“Puppy pose, what is...oh.” He had found the illustration in the book. His ass would look nice in the air.

* * *

“OK soldier boys, we need a field trip. I haven’t left this house, awesome as it is, in at least a week. I don’t think I even know what the sky looks like anymore…”

“Did you have a destination in mind? Shopping, movie, trip to Central Park?”

“The park. Fresh air, sunshine, all that good wholesome scenery.”

They were of one mind as they bundled Darcy up against the cold. Their walk to the park was filled with idle conversation, and frequent stops as Darcy inspected a few shops en route. She had been full of energy since her second trimester had started, and it had only increased when convinced her to move in with him. When they reached the park her first task had been making snow angels which quickly devolved into a 2 on 1 snowball fight. Bucky was serving as Darcy’s guard in the fight; successfully deflecting everything Steve threw. Darcy was on the offensive, creating and throwing the snowballs in his general direction. 

“OK, that’s enough fun for me, it’s time for hot chocolate!”

Bucky kept staring past the hot chocolate vendor, to the ice rink behind it. “What’s wrong Buck. Do we need to go? Was it too early to come out with her, or do you see someone you recognize?”

“What, is something wrong?” Darcy worried her lip.

“No, no doll, just wondering, do you skate?”

“Um, I did, when I was a kid, not sure I’d be any good these days, this belly throws off my balance, as you saw in my morning yoga routine with Steve!” 

As Bucky’s face fell, she quickly added, “But, I bet you could keep me upright, super fast reflexes and all that? You want to go out there with us Steve?”

“I’ll go grab three pairs of skates.” Steve said, downing his hot chocolate in one go.

When he came back they were deep in conversation, it sounded like they were talking about the due date.

“Middle of June, I think anyway. The docs have been a little confused, some of the size markers didn’t match up with the conception date. Probably your super sperm doing super things in my regular uterus.”

He coughed in his drink.

“Dude, you are going to have to get used to those words if you want to come with me to doctors appointments. Steve doesn’t even blush when they say transvaginal!”

“Maybe Steve can keep that job, I’ll just be the driver.” Steve knew she couldn’t tell that Bucky meant it as a joke, and now he could feel her fear that Bucky wasn’t as interested in the baby rising up. 

“Hey, what did I say this time?” Bucky asked, concern coming off of him in waves.

“It’s nothing, hormones, they make me crazy.”

He handed Bucky his skates before crouching down in front of Darcy, “You know,” he said while unlacing her boots, “Bucky was wondering if the baby was a girl, if you would consider naming her Rebecca, after his sister.”

“We haven’t even really talked about names! But of course I would. That’s a great idea.”

“Yeah, doll, she’s gone, but you’ve got the same spirit that she did.”

“Was her spirit any good at skating, cause I’m afraid I’m going to fall and really embarrass myself.”

“I’ll catch you if I do.” Bucky was smiling softly at her.

“Oh, I don’t know about that Bucky, I might be catching both of you.” Steve finished lacing up her ice skates, and moved to sit beside her to put his own on. 

“You sure about that? I don’t remember you ever learning to skate.”

“Hah, if only that were true.”

“Natasha?” Darcy asked.

“Natasha.” Steve answered.

“She can be…”

“Forceful when she wants to be.” Steve finished for her.

“Someone carry me to the rink! Walking is hard in these shoes.”

Bucky swept her up, “That’s because you aren’t supposed to walk in them.”

“Is it going to be too much for you?” Steve asked.

“Nah, Doctor Google says I can totally do it, up until like 20 weeks, then falling would be bad. So, I’m good. But seriously, I don’t want to fall, so catch me.”

“Yes ma’am.” Steve saluted as they made their way onto the ice.

Bucky put her down by the entrance before stepping out onto the ice himself. “This was a terrible idea.”

“It’s going to be fun, keep your feet turned in a little, yeah, like that. And then push off, see, watch that girl in red, she’s really good.” Steve instructed as he made his way onto the rink, skating backwards and spinning around to come back to Darcy who had made her way 4 feet down the wall.

Bucky watched the people around him, evaluating skating styles, what was working and what wasn’t. He was probably also looking for threats. After two laps, he could have gone toe to toe in the olympics, or taken on an ice hockey team.

“You guys blow. How can it be so easy for both of you.”

“Men of many talents.” Bucky replied, winking at her.

After a while Bucky finally noticed that the people were steering clear of their party. “Steve, I think something’s up.”

“What? What do you mean.”

“The people on the rink, they are clearing out.”

He clasped his hand on Bucky’s shoulder, “Don’t worry about that, I’m doing it. Just giving us a bit of space, I don’t want Darcy to get crowded out.”

“Oh, huh, you never did this before.” He sped up momentarily before switching directions so that he was skating in front of Steve. He reached out a hand, brushing his fingers along Steve’s jaw. “You sure there isn’t anything else you haven’t told me.”

“This is my face, I swear, nothing changed here.”

“Well, they could have done something to fix that ugly mug. I don’t know how Darcy can stand looking at you every morning.”

“Oh shut up, his face is plenty handsome. Like, panty dropping handsome.” She narrowed her eyes at Bucky, “And no, I won’t pick between the two of you. You are both handsome, sexy, and all mine!”

“Now c’mon, it’s getting dark and momma’s hungry! Plus, we need to go get a movie. Sam’s coming over tomorrow, and we just HAVE to watch his favorite movie.”

Steve still didn’t think that Sam actually even liked ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids.’ The man didn’t complain when she played it, without fail, anytime he had been off base for a week or longer. And he couldn’t figure out why it made the normally cool as a cucumber Sam Wilson flustered, either. Nothing in the movie related to Sam’s life that he could tell. The man didn't have kids, he wasn't married. Whatever the logic, it made Darcy extremely happy, and keeping her happy was his number one priority.

* * *

Steve was in the kitchen, cleaning up mess they had made cooking dinner. Jane had surprised them by joining Sam on his trip into New York. Darcy had been delighted that her best friend was visiting, probably because she got to gloat that ‘I had been right the whole time, James DID come rescue me, because he IS a secret agent man!’ The night had gone far better than he could have hoped. Bucky and Sam both seemed to enjoy ribbing him. Having a friend, on the team, would go a long way when Bucky arrived at the base with them.

“You have a doctor’s appointment Wednesday afternoon, did you want to head back tomorrow night, or that morning?”

Bucky spoke up for her, “Reschedule it for next week. We still need time before going back to that base of yours.” She might have answered, but Bucky had shoved another piece of fruit in her mouth.

“Darcy?” Steve knew Bucky was possessive of Darcy, and even though he couldn't bond with her as an alpha, he still behaved like he had. 

“She’s fine, Darcy, tell him you don’t need to see a doctor!”

“What’s this about Buck?” 

“I don’t want some stranger pawing all over her. WE can take care of her.”

“Umm, I’m right here…”

“Don’t worry, I can handle Stevie, you don’t have to go, I won’t make you.”

“But, he isn’t making me.”

“That’s a lie. Darcy, doll, he said doctor and your pulse jumped, you are afraid. I won’t let you walk into a situation that makes you afraid.”

“I’m not afraid, I mean, I’m a little worried. I’m getting the amniocentesis done this time, it’s a pretty big deal. And a big ole scary needle.”

“No, no way are you doing that. I read about that, it’s dangerous.”

“Bucky, calm down.” Steve placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder, hoping to subdue him before he got Darcy worked up any further.

Bucky ignored Steve’s gesture, focusing on Darcy, “No, I won't be calm, I just got you back, I'm going to be a father! Why risk a miscarriage, I don't want to lose this baby Steve. Please.”

“Bucky, Bucky, Bucky,” he said talking over Bucky, “we need to know. Who knows what the effects are from the serum.”

“The risk is low, minimal, I swear, I wouldn't put the baby at risk, but we really do need to know. Besides, we can find out if the little bug is going to be a James Jr., or little Rebecca.” Darcy’s reply was quiet.

“You think it's worth it?”

“Yeah, I do.”

Bucky let out a sigh of defeat, “Then let’s head back. Call it in Captain. Sergeant Barnes is looking for admittance to the Avengers top secret base.” 

* * *

“You drive like an old man.”

“I am an old man, Darcy.”

“You finally awake, I had good money on you sleeping through this whole trip?” Bucky was in the back seat, alternating between reading up on the staff’s profiles and what the 18th week visit would entail.

“Road trips make me sleepy, can’t help it.”

She trailed off when the roar of a motor came up fast from behind them.

“Fuck Steve, he's going to lose control.” 

The world slowed down for Steve as it always did when he was in combat. He saw the corvette behind them start to fishtail, the driver overcompensating as he hit a patch of ice. The driver was reckless, he must have been redlining the engine on his approach. He estimated the other car was going at least 90 mph faster than he was. He evaluated his options before unbuckling his seat-belt and tearing out the divider between his and Darcy’s seats. The car slammed into them, lifting the SUV up, pushing it past the guard rail. Darcy was screaming as they went airborne.

They landed hard on the right side, balancing on two tires before coming back down hard, just before the second impact. Steve flipped out of his seat as the SUV tipped sideways, slipping down the mountainside. 

They rebounded, flipping over a second time, landing upside down, the ceiling caving into Steve’s back as he braced himself above Darcy. 

They flipped a third time before finally crashing into a solid tree. Steve felt the left side of his rib-cage cracking as the concussive force passed through him, snapping the passenger seat.

The air was knocked out of Darcy’s lungs, she wasn’t breathing. “C’mon Darce, just relax and take a breath for me.”

“STEVE!” Bucky yelled.

“Get us out!” Steve ground just as the corvette knocked into them again..

* * *

Steve's terrified face was the last thing she saw. Bucky's arm tearing through the metal around her was the last thing she heard. Pain was the last thing she felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dont murder me please. As a bribe, preview of the next chapter:
> 
>  
> 
> _He looked at the surveillance feed, Darcy on a gurney, Jane standing over her, beside a woman he didn't know. Bucky stood behind them, grim faced, a gun in each hand._


	16. Darkest Before the Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha hadn't intended for any of this to happen.

Three warm hands and one cool one were ghosting up and down her body, setting off fireworks under her skin. She could feel their anxiety, their fear and through it all, their love. They would be insufferable when she woke.

* * *

Natasha stood in front of the two way mirror. The driver of the corvette that had crashed into Rogers’ SUV was on the other side. Thomas Brantley. He hadn't been drunk, just an overly aggressive alpha, angry, and he appeared to be involved by coincidence only. She didn’t trust it.

Brantley had peaked early, star quarterback in high school full scholarship to Tuscaloosa. ‘Roll Tide’ was tattooed across his bicep. An injury during the pre-season with the Giants had stranded him in New York. He worked security at night. Coulson, and wasn’t that a conversation for later, had been tailing the man when he lost control of his vehicle.

His girlfriend was an enhanced, not unlike Wanda. Whatever she did to him, he left her house in an the uncontrollable rage of an alpha. He had pushed the sports car to the limit, in an attempt to outrun what had been done to him.

She watched the video again, the orange corvette losing control. Steve had been driving, his dark blue SUV didn’t have a chance, it was going over the side no matter what Steve did. She brought up the next feed, a mobile drone had been launched to follow them as they careened off road. Barnes had ripped open the driver’s side back door, climbing out and over the corvette which had wedged itself under the front wheel well. He carried an unconscious Darcy in his arms. He turned back, yelling something before leaping off of the hood of the car as both it and the SUV started slipping downward again. Moments later, the back hatch blew out and Rogers appeared, his shield on his left arm.

She looked again at Brantley. The man had a fractured collarbone, lacerations to the face arms and hands. His right hand was crushed, not from the crash. He had been knocked out of his vehicle during the initial impact, and had run down the hillside to offer aid. At the scent of another alpha near his injured bond mate Bucky had reached out and crippled the man. 

“He's clean.” Maria Hill stood beside her. “He looks to be strong, attempted to do the right thing once his head cleared. He could be an asset, with the proper training.”

“If he can get over Barnes crushing his hand.”

“Barnes shot you twice, you seem fine in his company.”

“That's different.”

“We should keep him close. We don’t need him talking to gossip mags about Captain America or his bondmates.”

“Take care of it.”

Maria nodded, walking off towards Coulson’s bus.

She sighed, Hill was probably right. If Coulson didn’t intend on taking him into custody, they would need to keep him close until the ‘thrill’ of meeting the Captain had passed.

* * *

Natasha had worked so hard on getting Steve and Darcy together. She had been blindsided to find that Barnes had been with Darcy at all. She hadn't seen that coming. 

Her original goal had been to get Steve focused on someone in SHEILD. Thankfully that didn’t pan out. Setting Captain America up with a Hydra operative would have been catastrophic. She had needed to find someone in their inner circle, then Darcy fell into her lap. A few hints that Natasha knew would trigger whatever memory Steve had been hiding and he was running home to meet the girl. Everything had been going according to plan, until they realized that Bucky was the father of Darcy's baby. 

Jane had explained everything. She should have taken more time with the astrophysicist earlier. She could have put it together, and hidden that damn blanket. Steve didn't need two bond mates pulling him in opposite directions. He needed to be the father, to find that man he lost when he went into the ice, the one who had something to fight for, a reason to come home. 

Darcy would have stayed on base, she wouldn't be in critical care. Losing her could destroy Steve. That would destroy the team. The team was all that she had, it was all that she would ever have.

* * *

“Rogers, what are you doing up here? I’ve got this, go, stay with Darcy.”

“I can’t, Bucky’s killing me in there. He’s convinced himself that I can save her, but I can’t. And having her lying there, broken, dying, and him looking at me, like there is something that I’m not doing…” he paused, hanging his head as he leaned onto the glass. “Tell me, was it random, was there a reason. Were we targeted?”

She wasn’t sure how to answer, which one would keep Steve going. Would giving him an enemy to fight, one that didn’t exist, be better than telling him that it had been bad luck putting them on the road at the same time as this man.

“Steve…” She stopped when someone new came running down the hallway.

“They...they're gone. He took a. Took a quinjet. Umm, they ah, this system. It's still operating as, um designed.”

Leopold Fitz. One of Coulson’s scientists. Brilliant mind, nearly destroyed by Hydra. One of the best to come from the academy.

Steve looked at the surveillance feed, Darcy on a gurney, Jane standing over her, beside a woman she didn't know. Bucky stood behind them, grim faced, a gun in each hand. 

“This, here, their location, they’ve landed, I think.”

“Where are you going Rogers?”

“Seven miles, southeast. 8 minutes on the bike.”

“Steve, wait, you need a plan!”

“I won’t let her be taken from me” Steve roared at her. The force of his anger nearly knocked her off her feet.

Fitz took off after Rogers, leaving Natasha alone in front of glass. Staring at the man who was already tearing the team apart. A strong arm came down on her shoulder.

“Stand down, Natasha.”

“He has Jane, why aren’t you going after him.”

“My Jane is safe in the sergeant's hands. No harm will come to her.”

“He could have been triggered, that might not be the sergeant out there. The Winter Soldier is a cold blooded killer.” She tried to move, to make her way to the garage, but Thor’s hand held her in place.

“Do not fear, they will come back to us, whole and hale.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I come out of hiding yet?


	17. He Can Save Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky knows how to save Darcy's life.

She could hear his voice, he would never leave her side. She knew that now. He was speaking softly to her, Russian words, she didn’t know what he said, she doubted she would have known even if they had been in English.

* * *

Bucky looked down at Darcy. The blood had been cleaned off of her face, her clothes cut away when she was checked for injury. She was lying unnaturally still on the bed. 

He held her hand, whispering in her ear. “Please doll, you gotta come out of this. We can’t make it alone without you.”

The crash had been horrific. The feeling of falling, landing, falling again, through the ice and snow, it was an experience he had NEVER wanted to share with her. He and Steve were built to take a pounding, their bodies were resilient, hers wasn’t.

The baby’s heartbeat was fast and steady, Steve had protected them as best he could. The final blow had been too much for her, she had a concussion and a small bleed in her brain. There was nothing that could be done. The doctors would watch, deliver the baby when she took a turn for a worse. The enhancements the bastardized serum had given him had been passed onto his baby. They expected him to survive no matter what happened Darcy. Trace amounts were in Darcy’s blood as well, but not enough to help her. Maybe if it had been Steve’s...

He had begged Steve to bite her again, every time he bit them, they healed. It had saved his life when he fell from the train, he was convinced it would do the same for Darcy. Steve either didn’t believe him or didn’t think he could do it. 

“Please, Steve, you have’ta try. She’s dyin on us.”

“She’s going to be fine, Buck. She’s strong, we won’t lose her.”

“You don't know that!”

“Bucky, calm down. You aren't going to help her any by getting worked up.”

“Why, why won’t you even try?”

“I can’t, it doesn’t work that way, and you know it.”

“No, I don’t know it, because if I did, I would do it! Just get over yourself and bond with her again!”

“I CAN’T! You don’t think I would, if I could. I’d do ANYTHING for her, I just, I don’t know how…” Steve walked out of the room. They shouldn’t be fighting, not with Darcy just barely hanging on. 

Jane sat on the other side of Darcy, joining Bucky’s vigil. “She’s going to wake up, she’s survived too much to let something stupid like this take her down.”

“Steve could fix this, I know he can, he’s just too damn stubborn.”

“You can’t blame him, James, Bucky, I mean, he can’t do anything more than you are.”

“Yes, he can. He just doesn’t see it.”

“See what?” The young doctor, Simmons, had entered the room. “I’m sorry, what do you think Captain Rogers can do? The interaction between the fetus and Ms. Lewis’s body is fascinating, but you said that you were the father. What does he have to do with it?”

“The serum, when he forms a bond, he heals you. Not just the bite mark, everything gets healed.”

“You are certain?”

“Jemma, that, that would explain, her blood, look.” The man standing next to her stuttered his way though an explanation about possibilities of the serum being similar to the terrigen compound. 

“The Captain has bonded with her before, then?” Simmons asked him.

“Yes, at Christmas.”

“Oh, that’s sweet.” She said before turning back to her colleague. “I see, it could work. But he would have to trigger it, a simple transfusion wouldn’t work. It isn’t activated at present. I wonder, can he not force his bonding nature to the forefront without, for lack of a better word, foreplay?”

“He says he can’t.” Bucky let his head fall onto the bed railing.

“We could force it.” Jane spoke up again. 

“How?”

“Dr. Simmons, correct me if I’m wrong, but bonding is triggered either by intercourse or when fighting to reclaim a mate, correct?”

“Those are the two most common reasons an alpha will bond, other circumstances can trigger it, though very rarely.”

“So, we just need to make him think she has been taken away from him. When he gets her back, he will reclaim her.”

Bucky stood up, a plan forming in his mind. “Is it safe to move her?”

“Well, I wouldn’t recommend it. She needs to be under continuous medical care.”

“Jemma, “ Jane pleaded, “please, help us save her.”

Fitz spoke up again, his words completely clear, “Coulson would do anything for Captain America, May just touched down in a second quinjet, can you fly one?” he asked turning to Bucky.

Bucky shook his head, “Steve can’t track us if we fly.”

Fitz was grinning, “Oh, sure he can, with this. Once you three are back on land, I’ll give it to him.”

“Four, I’m coming with them, get her ready to go, I’ll make sure only Steve follows us.”

“How?”

“Thor!” she said, running out of the room.

* * *

He ripped the left sleeve off of his coat and shirt. He needed to look like he was a threat. Nothing was more threatening than the metal arm. 

“Oh, my, that is, well, I wish you could come with us on the bus, that is just amazing.” Jemma was twittering on about his arm and body while she prepped Darcy for transport. Everyone said she was the best, it damn well better be the truth.

“Are you expecting resistance? Coulson will clear our path, you don’t need all of that.” Jemma Simmons looked at the firepower he was packing onto his person.

“Steve needs to think I’ve taken her, that I’m a threat.”

“Well, he won’t mistake you for a kitten, that’s for sure. Fitz, are we ready?” She said turning to the door when it opened.

“Do you best, Sergeant Barnes, the halls are clear.” Coulson stepped into the room, holding out his hand for Bucky to shake.

* * *

They landed just over 7 miles from the Avengers’ Facility. Steve would know the terrain well, he figured they had less than 10 minutes to set the stage. 

“Oh, well, this certainly isn't the craziest thing we've ever done.” Simmons was talking to Agent May in the second quinjet. 

Bucky’s tone was gruff. “5 minutes, then you and Jane need to be off this bird. I don't want Steve coming in hot and either of you getting hit in the crossfire.”

“Are you sure you want it to play this way? Captain Rogers isn't someone I would want to cross on a good day.” Agent May spoke through the com unit. 

“I'll handle the punk. He's got to believe that I'm a real threat to her, it's the only way.”

“When Jemma and Jane get on board, I'll lift off and cloak, we will be close by if you need us.”

“I won't, this works, or he will put me down.”

* * *

He heard the roar of a motor bike approaching. He stood from Darcy’s side, placing one last kiss on her forehead. 

“Come back to me doll.” 

He unholstered his gun, and shot the coolant line in the back of the jet, the noise and smell would disrupt Steve's senses. 

“What are you doing, Buck?”

“она моя” he answered, adopting the language he had been forced to use while a captive of Hydra. (She’s mine.)

“Please, we need to get her back to the facility!”

“нет!” he yelled firing at Steve. (No.)

He was faster than he remembered. The shield hit him squarely in the chest and he stumbled back onto the ramp. He could hear Darcy's machines beeping loudly behind him. He needed the fight to stay away from her.

He stood, kicked the shield further into the plane and charged Steve, allowing himself to be thrown through the hydraulic lift. His right shoulder was dislocated when he hit the ground. 

He pulled two knives and threw one to the left of Steve's arm. He strafed right, taking a glancing blow, just above the elbow. Steve lunged and caught the second knife before bulldozing into Bucky. His head slammed into the bulkhead behind him. He wanted Steve to finish this. He headbutted Steve, probably breaking his nose, before throwing him off of him, and striding towards Darcy, knife still in his hand. 

He could tell the moment Steve shifted. The bond was cold, was this what Steve had felt from him while Hydra had been in control. He wanted to turn back, to say that it was OK, but it wasn’t, not really. Darcy’s life was on the line. 

He was airborne, crashing through the cockpit, the bullet proof glass shattered with the force Steve had used to throw him. 

He slammed into a tree. Solid and ancient, it didn’t budge. His head was spinning, thoughts scattered. He remembered Darcy showing him a video, a cat chasing a bird, hitting a snow covered tree. The tree dumping its load on the already wounded cat. Thankfully the quinjets had cleared the snow from the area, this wasn’t a comedy.

Steve was standing on top of the ruined quinjet, like the lion on the mountaintop.

“She's mine!” Steve growled before turning back into the quinjet. 

He let his head fall back and smiled into the sky. Steve would take care of her now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been watching Agents of Shield, it's on the brain. To be clear, Steve, Bucky, nor Darcy are actually Kree or genetically disposed to reacting to the Kree terrigen crystals. The effects of the Serum are similar, maybe even slightly parallel, but not related at all to the GH-325 or the Inhuman phenomenon.


	18. What's the Fuss About

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy wakes up.

When Darcy woke she found herself in Steve's arms, back in his suite on the base. Last time she had seen him he had been terrified. Now, he was angry. At what, she didn't know. 

She wiggled her toes first. Felt like fuzzy socks. Her pants and shirt were soft cotton. She scrunched into his arms breathing his scent. Finger walking her hand up his chest, neck and chin, she traced his lips and cheek before running her fingers through his hair. 

“There you are.” She felt his anger dissipate instantly. She was floored by the love she felt coming off of him. 

“Hey you.” She responded, kissing him on the jaw. 

“Mmm, I missed you.” 

She opened her eyes, taking in his blue blue eyes, long lashes, the little furrow between his brows. 

“You seem different.”

“I thought I was going to lose you.” His grip tightened, she could feel his entire body engage around her. Steve's presence filled the room, cocooning her. 

“I'm fine,” she had thought for sure she would see if feel evidence of the crash, she remembered how violent it had been, until Steve rolled over on top of her, protecting her, and the baby, from the impacts. “Not a scratch on me,” she wiggled her fingers, “my hero, Captain America saves the day.”

“Always sweetheart, I'll always protect you. I'll always save you.”

He was getting growly again. She must have been out for more than a few hours, for him to be acting so possessive. She turned her head, placing her ear above his heart. She was still tired and listening to the steady rhythm was the most soothing sound. 

He was still angry when she woke for the second time, the minute she moved, his mood changed. Something was wrong. Bucky was usually restless while she slept, it wasn’t unusual for him to be puttering around, not coming back into the room until after she work. 

The baby?

She trailed her hand across her stomach, Steve's hand quickly followed, slipping under hers, allowing her to guide him in her search for movement.

“He's quiet now... A soccer player when you're asleep though.”

“He? You know it's going to be a boy?”

“Bucky ruined it. Your results came in. I wanted to wait to find out with you, but he saw it on your chart. He blabbed, said he couldn't unsee it. I’m sorry we couldn’t find out together.”

“It’s OK. So, no dresses then?”

“No, not this time.”

“But, the baby's ok, not hurt during the crash. Right?”

“Your little bug is just fine. You’re strong, kept him safe.”

“I remember you keeping both of us safe.”

“I'm sorry it happened at all. I'm sorry I couldn't avoid it. I know you were terrified.”

“You and Bucky were with me, I knew you two would keep me safe.”

Bucky knocked quietly on the door. “Stevie, she's awake, isn't she.”

“Bucky…” Darcy tried to get up, to let him in, but found herself still in Steve's iron grip. 

He dropped his head and spoke into the base of her neck. “M’not letting you go. I can't just yet.” 

“Steve, please…” Bucky was asking permission, he must have really pissed Steve off.

“Fine” 

Bucky was in the room before Steve had finished the word. He was on the bed before Steve had started growling. He had his arms around Darcy before she could take a breath.

“Settle down, jerk, you have’ta share her.” Steve was angry at Bucky?

“I have to share? You haven’t been sharing her!” Bucky’s right hand was inching it’s way under Steve’s.

“I don’t have to share her, you, you, just shut it.” Steve was glaring at Bucky.

“Move your leg.”

“Why?”

“I want to hold her too, and you, just, move your damn leg Steve, and your arm.”

Darcy watched the exchange between them as Bucky wiggled closer to her, does a 260 pound man wiggle? Apparently this was going to be one of those days where the furniture and floor weren’t good enough for her to touch. Honestly, she was fine with that. How had she survived without the two of them? Part of it was definitely the pregnancy. Her hormones made her more dependant, kept them closer than they otherwise would be. They were so wonderful to be around, it was like she had been missing a little piece of herself and hadn’t even known it.

She sighed, relaxing as Bucky settled in behind her. It was good Steve felt safe on the base because they were hopelessly tangled together. He was leaning against the headboard, centered on the bed, Bucky had slipped in sideways, his legs here under Steve’s right leg his shoulder braced against Steve’s chest. Darcy was now in Bucky’s lap, her back was currently flush with Steve’s chest, she was bracketed by Steve’s bent knee and Bucky’s chest. Steve’s left arm was wrapped around Bucky, she couldn’t tell where Bucky’s right hand had gone, maybe it was behind Steve? 

She hummed contentedly as their free hands fussed around her person. Stray hairs were tucked behind her ear, one would rumple her shirt, in their continuous pursuit for confirmation that she was uninjured, the other would smoothe it back down. 

“How are you liking the base?”

“Haven’t really noticed it, been a little busy focusing on you doll.”

“Oh, well, I’ll show you around, Jane’s lab is awesome, and there is basically a movie theater, and a pool, I’ve missed that pool.”

“Later, we can do all of that later.”

“And, I want to show you the nursery, and then, we need to work on it. And maybe shopping, for clothes, I swear, I feel way bigger than I did yesterday!”

They both stopped smiling midway through her sentence. Guilt. Guilt was wafting off of the both of them.

“What?”

“You were out for a while.” Steve was cautious in his reply. 

“Six days. Critical care for two. I thought...WE thought...oh Darcy...we were losing you...”

“Shut it Bucky.”

“What, why?”

“You know why, just leave it alone.”

“You don’t have to hide it from her.”

“Hide what.” Oh, god, had something happened to Steve in the crash.

“No, no she doesn’t.”

“Know what? Steve, you’re scaring me.”

“Aw, Doll, don’t be scared.”

“I’m serious Buck.”

And Bucky shut down. Just like that. “Yeah, you’re right Steve.”

“I'm serious too. What's wrong, are you OK, what are you hiding from me?”

“Nothing’s wrong sweetheart. I promise, we are all fine. You've just been pretty out of it for the past week. Today is the first day you've been lucid. Bumped your head when we crashed. We just need to take it easy with you for a while.”

That felt like a half truth, but Steve was digging in his heels and Bucky had caved to his will. She wouldn't find out any more today. Steve had always done everything he could to keep her happy, she could reciprocate, for now.

* * *

“Hey there soldier, want com…” she trailed off when she got a good look at his back. “What happened to you!” 

“Darcy! What are you doing in here!” He spun around, grabbing his shirt and putting it back on. There was that guilt again.

“What’s going on…your back, you’re covered in bruises.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle. Don’t worry about me. Me ‘n Steve can take a beating.”

“But Steve, he doesn’t have any…” 

“That punk. I don’t heal as fast as Stevie, but I’m just as tough.” His smile was rakish as he leaned down to play with the hem of her shirt. “I was planning on taking a shower, but, if you’d join me, I’d rather take a bath. Whaddya say darling, keep a wounded soldier company?”

“I could be convinced.”

“I’ve been told that I’m very persuasive.”

“I’ve heard you liked to love ‘em and leave ‘em.”

“Not you doll, I’d never leave you. I’ve got you just where I want you.” He said as he hoisted her onto the counter. He turned on the water for the tub, poured in the bubble bath solution, set the temperature and depth level before returning to her. 

“So beautiful” he said as he knelt before her, running his hands down her legs. He lifted her feet, placing them on his knee before removing first the right, then the left sock. He stayed there, massaging her feet and calves while the bath filled. When the water shut off, he stood and pulled her off the counter, “Join me?”

“Can’t, I don’t want my clothes to get wet.”

“Shh, now, I can fix that.” He bit his bottom lip before hooking his fingers in her waistband, pulling them down to her thighs where he let them fall to the ground. He lifted her shirt above her head, letting it fall onto the counter.

“Now your clothes are going to get wet.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of them.” He unbuttoned his fly, letting his pants drop next to hers.

* * *

They had the jets on in the bath, and the bubbles were getting really out of hand when Steve peeked his head in through the door.

“Bucky, what are ya, five?” Steve’s tone was light, but it seemed forced. He was still angry and hiding something.

“Five-and-half. At least.” Bucky was being a real smartass. 

“You want to join us?” 

He exhaled, “Can’t. I wish I could sweetheart. Buck…” his tone was somewhere between a question and an order. 

“I know, I know.” Bucky scooped her up, holding her close, bubbles and some water sloshing over the side. Steve nodded once, then backed out of the room.

She didn’t know what was going on between them, and it was going to be really hard to have a serious conversation in a bubble bath, but maybe Bucky would be distracted enough to reveal what they were hiding.

“Hey...so, question for you.”

“Sure.”

“What happened to the car?”

“Coulson’s team fished it it out of the ravine a few days ago. All of your baby things you brought from the city are waiting for you in the nursery. I can’t guarantee they are still folded...but we got them out for you.”

“Steve get his shield back?” If he had lost it, that would explain his edginess.

“He never lost it.” Bucky chuckled at that. “The punk grabbed it out of the SUV before he jumped out the back. 

“Maybe he thought it would make a good sled?”

“Yeah, you tell him that, why don’tcha.”

“Mmm...he’s been touchy since I woke up, maybe I’d better not.”

“He ain’t touchy with you, he’s just miffed at me. It’ll all blow over, don’t worry your pretty little head.”

Fat chance of that, she thought to herself.

* * *

She was sitting in the nursery, taking stock of what all still needed to be done when someone entered the apartment. 

“I’m safe, no one is getting on the base that isn’t supposed to be here, no one would be able to get in our apartment if they weren’t cleared too...” she whispered to herself as footsteps made their way down the hall. The door squeaked open.

“Hey, Darce” was as far as Sam got in greeting her before a duffle bag slammed into his side. “Right, just picking this up. See you later!”

She got up and peered out into the hall, “Bucky, Steve?”

“Sorry Doll, Steve says no guests today.”

“Not even Sam?”

“Nope, don’t worry, he’ll calm down soon.”

“That means I’m not going outside anytime soon either, doesn’t it.”

“Why you wanna go out there anyway? I can keep you plenty occupied here.”

“Stop it,” She said, playfully shoving him back. “No distractions, there is just so much to do, and I just feel it, the NEED to get it all done. I’m almost at the halfway mark, this little guy has a timer!”

“Anything I can do?”

“I’m sooooo behind…no one can help.”

“Hey now, you’ve got lots of time left.” 

“No, like, if I don’t have this done before I’m HUGE I’ll never be able to get it all done.”

“Then give me something to do.”

“Nothing for you to do right now. It’s a me thing.” She let her head fall, sinking into his embrace when he reached out for her.

“Hey, you’re doing great, you know that right. You’re going to be the best ma out there.”

“I don’t know, I don’t even know what I’m doing, not even at all!”

“I don’t believe that for a second. From what I hear, you’ve been mothering Jane for years now.”

“Yeah, but she is a fully grown adult, who can feed herself if she gets hungry enough. A baby...it’s different.”

“You’ve got help, whatever you need. Steve and I will do it.”

“I know. I know, I’m so lucky to have you both.” And really, she was. She had felt half crazy before Steve stepped in, pregnancy hormones were terrible to deal with alone. She didn’t think she would be strong enough to go it alone, and she didn’t want just one of them now that she had them both. Steve was angry, with Bucky. 

“All part of my plan Doll.”

“Yeah, you were just using your manly wiles and Steve’s big muscles to seduce a poor innocent omega.”

“You like them.” He said winking at her.

“Yeah, because they are useful. Hey, do you know if there is a drill around here? I really wanted to put up these closet shelves.”

“Yeah, I’ll go scrounge one up.”

“OK, then we can check that off the list.” 

He saluted as he walked towards the apartment’s exit. That would give her some time to figure out what they were hiding from her. Maybe Jane knows, if not her, then Natasha. She always knew more than she let on. And if her men were fracturing, she had to fix it.


	19. Heart to Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve comes to Bucky's defense.

Steve was alone in the gym. Either by design, or because no one could physically be near him right now, he didn’t know. He didn’t care. He needed time and space to work out his excess aggression. So he stood, pounding the punching bag, going over his conversation with Natasha. 

“Cap, he’s a wildcard.”

“It’s never been a problem before.” 

“And now? Do you trust him? Can you forgive him?”

Of course he could forgive him. He already had. THIS wasn’t about Bucky at all. Bucky hadn’t been an idiot, the plan was vetted by an impartial scientist. He had medical assistance and emergency protocols in place before stealing her away. Making him lose control had been a huge risk, a gamble, but it was worth it.

Yes, he had lost it, he had hurt Bucky. His best friend, his lover, the only person to stand by him, no matter what. He had always had Bucky, always would. He hated himself for hurting Bucky when they fought, he was angry that he didn’t have enough control. He had let the beast out, and he needed time to put it back in it’s cage. 

“Of course I can Natasha. This isn’t about what he did, but what I did, what I’m still doing.” He was dealing in half truths now. “Instinct. He triggered the instinct to protect her from him. It will be a while before that washes out of my system completely.”

It was like the beast inside of him didn’t realize that Bucky and the Winter Soldier were the same person. That was half of why he was so worked up. 

“And when it does, you three will be back to the idyllic bliss of expectant parents?”

“Yes.” And that was a lie. But she bought it, he thought.

In the week since Darcy had woken he had been able to feel every minute change in her emotions. Joy, curiosity, hurt, anger, worry, satisfaction, impatience, arousal, love, adoration, excitement, irritation. Not just the emotions, he could feel more than impressions, it was more than empathy. There was no guessing at what she was thinking. He could feel her thoughts. There were no pictures, no words, still he knew. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. Bonds were never meant to be that strong. She wouldn't want him knowing her every emotion. Not like this. It was an invasion of her privacy. Distance helped, and he hoped that in time, this blurry telepathy would fade.

Once again, the universe wasn’t in his favor. 

He could feel it, a vibrating in the bond that he couldn’t ignore. Darcy’s distress over him and anger at Bucky. He didn’t know what Bucky had done, but she was mad at Bucky because of something she thought Bucky had done to him.

This was the exact opposite of what he had told Bucky to do with her. He was supposed to be keeping her happy and content. Feeding her bon bons, soothing her fears, helping her, since he couldn’t.

* * *

He stilled the bag rather than breaking it, he really didn’t want to clean up sand today. Steve took a quick shower before making his way to their apartment. 

He could hear Bucky calling out for Darcy, asking where she was. She was surprised, she didn’t expect Bucky to be in their apartment. He sighed, scrubbing his hands through his damp hair, why had Bucky left? Her laptop was open, the messaging client running, flashing with new messages. He stomped over to it, she wasn’t supposed to be working yet.

Jane: I’d be grouchy too if I had 4 broken ribs.

Darcy: He broke his ribs? In the crash???

Jane: Yeah, Bucky mentioned it, he said he needed to know if there were any other injuries he should worry about when they fought.

Darcy: Who fought? Steve and Bucky were fighting, why?

Jane: You kinda had to be there, and you’re calling me. Why chat in the first place...

The last message was 20 minutes ago. He turned to head back to the bedroom, Darcy was furious and taking it out on Bucky.

“You made him FIGHT you?!?” He heard the slap of her hand hitting Bucky’s face, “what were you thinking?”

“Darcy, what” Bucky was still following his order that she not know how close they had all come to losing each other. 

“Why would you make him think you had gone back!” Steve could tell she was crying before he entered the room.

“I had to save you!” Bucky tried to reach for her, but she pushed him away. 

“No, that's not acceptable! You can’t save me by trying to sacrifice yourself. This isn’t fair, you can’t, you shouldn’t, Bucky, you can’t put me above yourself! I won’t let you do that again.”

“What are you sayin?”

“It should be you and Steve, always, first. Not me. I can’t come between you two!”

“No.” They both turned, shocked by his appearance in the bedroom. “Sit down.”

Darcy fell back onto the bed. Bucky dropped straight to his knees on the floor. Well, that wasn’t at all what he had intended. He had never commanded either of them before. He hadn’t even meant to now, he was still too worked up. He never wanted her to see him like this. Omega’s feared alphas that were strong enough to compel them to follow commands.

“Bucky, c’mere. I didn’t mean to say it like that.”

Bucky stood, head still hanging, “I‘m sorry Steve.”

He sighed. He didn’t want to tell him. For Bucky to know that he was this connected to Darcy would make him feel marginalized, and unequal partner. Steve also couldn’t let him know that a part of him wanted to throw him out of the equation entirely. The self sacrificing jerk might just go into hiding if he found out.

He took Bucky into his arms, breathing in his scent. He let his mind wander, ignoring Darcy’s burning curiosity, and simply thought about all the times Bucky had held him tight on cold winter nights. 

“I love you.” he said first into Bucky’s downturned head. “I love both of you.” He looked at Darcy this time. “I can’t have you fighting with each other. The three of us, we are in this together. This is permanent. I will never allow this bond to be broken.”

“But, I” Darcy’s voice was meek but her thoughts were screaming at him. She felt she was the weak link, her newness should make her expendable, that she was the third wheel, the baby was the only reason they were keeping her.

“Stop Darcy, let me finish. We both love you. We are a family now, and we would both do anything to protect you. Bucky did what he had to do, it was terrible, but it was the right call. He saved you. You both need to understand, this isn’t temporary, or only works if things are good, or while life is picture perfect. We will fight, all bondmates do from time to time. Our fights might even be supercharged. That won’t change how we feel about each other when the day is done. Nothing will ever change how I feel about either of you when the day is done. Yes, I can be provoked, Bucky used that against me, and that’s OK. I can lose control with him, he is strong enough to defend himself against me. Once my head cleared, I loved him just as much as I did that morning.” 

He tightened his embrace around Bucky for a moment before letting him go. He walked to Darcy and pulled her up from her seat on the bed. He pushed her hair away from her face and wiped away the tears that had fallen before taking her hand and placing it in Bucky’s. 

Steve brought his hand to her waist to bring her closer. He pressed his lips into Darcy’s forehead, and stepped back so he could see her face.

“Don’t be mad at him for tricking me. Yes, I’m jumpy right now. I might come across as angry and distant. It is an incredible surge that I’m coming down from. They built me for war, not just a single battle.”

“You’re not mad?” Bucky was leaning into his side, chin resting on his shoulder. Steve ducked his head to Bucky.

“No, I’m not. I know why you did it. But, don’t try it again Buck, I doubt I’ll fall for the ruse a second time.” He turned back to Darcy, “And I know what you were trying to do too, don’t.”

Darcy’s blue eyes were peering into his, searching to see if he really understood that she had been willing to run, to sacrifice herself for them. She closed her eyes and spoke into his chest, “Loving Captain America can be hard…” 

“I hope loving Steve Rogers makes it worth it in the end.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are good now, right, I don't have to stay in hiding anymore, right?


	20. Growing Pains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky gets used to life on base.

Bucky watched Steve and Darcy slot themselves back into life at the base. Steve began working with the trainees and Darcy went back to her work in Jane’s lab. He saw how their tendencies from Brooklyn were been created by routines Steve and Darcy had long since developed here. 

Steve woke with the sun, and left the apartment to run and do his own personal training. Bucky rarely went with him. He preferred his mornings with Darcy, even if it was just watching her while she slept. She complained that he was restless, he wanted to laugh. He was a sniper, he could sit still for hours, days if he needed to, waiting on a mark. He wasn’t restless when she slept, he just wanted things to be perfect for her when she woke. Steve was plenty happy to just lie with her, and only jump into action when she was awake. Alpha’s were so single minded. Bucky on the other hand would get up, make juice, come back, see if she was any closer to waking, she wasn’t. He would go back out, clean the juicer, come back to the bedroom to check on her. Check on breakfast options, check on Darcy, do prep work, check on Darcy. ‘No Steve, I’m not trying to prove myself, I don’t need to because obviously I’m doing it.’

Natasha passed him in the hall, muttering in Russian, that he shouldn’t hover, even omega women needed their space. He wanted to punch her for assuming that she knew more about his bondmate than he did. The only person who knew more was Steve, and unless Steve told him he was hovering too much, he felt it safe to say that Darcy appreciated his devotion.

Two days later, Steve sat him down, told him he was smothering their girl.

Natasha found him on the training floor and challenged him to spar. He was smug when he left the mat, and immediately deflated at dinner when he saw Darcy fussing over the split lip he had given Natasha. 

Despite Natasha’s preternatural foresight, he enjoyed living on the base. Jane had fully warmed up to him and she delighted in recounting some of Darcy’s off the wall theories about ‘James Bond.’

Sam was easy to talk to, and despite Clint’s outdated choice of weaponry he appreciated the friendly competition and target practice he shared with the archer. He even started working with Wanda on hand to hand skills after they found they could communicate in her native tongue. 

Darcy thrived in the environment and Steve was his usual perfect Captain America self. It was exactly how he had pictured life with Steve and Darcy. Life was great, so of course one of them wanted to tempt fate.

“Let’s go out.”

“What?”

“C’mon, you guys are finally letting me out of the apartment again, so, let me out of the base too?”

Ice cold dread creeped up his spine. She wanted to leave the safe cocoon of the base? To go shopping. “Can’t you just do that online?”

“I can, but I LIKE shopping, in person. And I still want to do it while I can.”

“No.”

“Bucky, please.”

“No.”

“Why not, you are being totally unreasonable!”

“I just want to keep you safe, please doll, let me keep you safe.”

She stomped out of the bedroom to where Steve was puttering around in the kitchen.

“Steve, please, can we go to the little mall tonight?”

“Sure thing sweetheart. Do you want Jane to come with you?”

Bucky growled in protest. Steve was butting his alpha head in. Didn’t he remember LAST time she was in a car, what had happened. What had almost happened. 

“Oh, we can make it like a double date. Yes!” She pumped her fist in the air, heading back to the bedroom to finish getting ready for the day.

Bucky slammed his palm on the table. “What are you thinking?”

“That she isn’t our pet. You can’t trap her, we can’t hold her here against her will, even if it is all that we want to do.”

“Can’t we just keep her here till after the baby is born?”

“I wish we could…” Steve trailed off as Darcy reentered the room.

“OK, I’m off to the lab, be good while I’m gone. See you at lunch?”

Steve winked at her, “Your pillow will be waiting for you.”

Bucky watched as she nearly skipped out the door. “Thanks for making her day, Steve. Now I look like an ass.”

“No you don’t.”

“Yeah, I do. I said no, you caved and said yes.”

“I didn’t cave, I got her to bring Jane, and Thor, that’s extra safety. Plus,” he said pulling a new key ring from his pocket, “I got us an armored SUV too. She won’t be in danger on the road.”

Bucky looked at Steve skeptically. “Did you know she wanted to go out?”

Steve shrugged a shoulder and answered noncommittally, “It’s an alpha thing, I could tell she was getting restless.”

“That’s bullshit. If I couldn’t tell, how could you.”

“I don’t know, I’ve spent a lot more time with her than you.”

Bucky sighed, sinking onto the chair behind him. “When I left her with you, I didn’t realize how hard it would be when I came back. Some days, I’m good, everything is perfect, and then, suddenly I’m terrified something else bad is going to happen. Sam says...” he trailed off, thinking about all the things Sam said.

“Sam say it was PTSD?” 

“PTSD.” He huffed a breath. “I’m not shellshocked Steve. Maybe it’s this base, I didn’t feel this way until we got here.”

“Do you want to leave it?”

“No, Darcy likes it here. You like it here. This is where you belong.”

“This is where WE belong Buck. All of us. We’ve been here three weeks and you’ve already fit yourself into the team.” Steve’s eyes were starting to tear up. He had moved in front of Bucky, facing him. Steve took Bucky’s head in his hands, and kissed him roughly while climbing on the oversized chair, his knees on either side of Bucky’s hips. “God Buck, I missed having you by my side, on my team, so much.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Darcy would laugh if she came back, seeing us all misty eyed for no reason.”

“I’m not misty eyed, that’s all you Rogers.”

“Jerk. We don’t get much time together do we?”

“Darcy’s gotta be the priority right now.”

“I can multitask. You have to let me know if you need something. Just because Darcy’s with us now, that doesn’t make me any less yours. We are in this together for her, but I’m also here for you.”

“I know you are. It’s just so easy with Darcy, so much easier than with…” He trailed off. He and Peggy had never hit it off like he did with Darcy. She was nice enough, but they would never have been able to form a bond, not like the one they shared now. Still, he knew Steve had wanted her, maybe loved her. 

“With Peggy. I know, I tried to force it with you two. Darcy, she fits us both.”

“I knew she would, the minute I saw her. Love at first sight.”

“You always were a romantic.”

“It’s why you loved me.”

“Still do, I never stopped.”


	21. Going Postal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy gets more than she bargained for when going to the mall.

The trip to into town had been awesome. They had dinner at the sports bar, Steve and Bucky made a good show of watching the games on the TV. Thor, who hadn’t liked American football, really seemed to be enjoying hockey. Anytime a team scored, or a fight broke out, Darcy and Jane had to grab any glassware within his reach. Thor sometimes forgot himself on Midgard. 

She was complimented on how well behaved her boys were by the woman helping her pick out some new items for her ever expanding belly. Steve and Bucky sat patiently, holding hands and her bags while she tried on a dozen dresses, tunics and blouses at each store. Bucky loved her in pink and Steve seemed to be partial to red. Thor had sided with Steve, stating that red was the most fitting color. Jane said that blue brought out her eyes, which were probably going to start tearing up if they didn't tone down the compliments, or they might tear up if the compliments stopped. Probably best to leave her eyes out of the equation all together.

She caught Bucky and Steve putting aside a couple of things as well. She feigned needing to rest so that they would have a chance to be ‘providers,’ and plopped on a couch in front of Macy’s. Steve had a silent conversation with Bucky before he stated that he “needed to do a perimeter check.” Steve tried to play it off, but she knew that Bucky was really going back for that red dress that Steve had loved, but she had put back. 

“I’m thinking registry shopping is up next.”

“Registry?”

“Yeah, for the baby shower! Jane is throwing me one.”

“I didn’t get an invitation.” Thor looked hurt.

“Oh, it’s a girl thing, mostly,” and now Steve looked hurt, “But, we could probably do a co-ed one, what do you think Jane.”

“Well, maybe we should change some of the games, these boys get REALLY competitive…”

She had been picturing Stark’s Iron Legion attempting to complete a relay race when she saw them. Her mother’s eyes. It was just a glimpse, but she felt like she had been dropped in ice cold water. Steve was by her side in an instant, gathering her up in his arms, surveying the area for a threat. A second later, Bucky was running to their group, he had a knife in his right hand. 

“What’s wrong?” Bucky’s voice was gruff, he was in full combat mode, his eyes quickly switching between watching her and surveying their surroundings. 

Darcy looked around, there wasn’t anyone in this part of the mall. Natasha had said that Steve could clear out a room if he wanted to...had he done that, and called Bucky back? Sometimes she wondered if anyone knew just how powerful Steve was. 

“I’m fine, sorry. I just spooked myself.”

“Are you sure?” Steve asked, he was still coiled, ready to fight off the specter of her childhood. Great. Pregnancy brain made her an absolute idiot sometimes.

“Yeah, I’m cool, just a stray thought, you know, when you think, man, wouldn’t suck if… and all the sudden you’ve gone so far down the sucky path there are zombies trying to eat your brains.”

“Zombies?” Steve and Bucky said at the same time. 

Jane of course took this opportunity to point out that zombies could not exist.

“Thor? Weigh in on zombies, the living dead.”

“You describe my niece, Hel?”

“You have a zombie niece?” And thank you pregnancy brain for successfully transforming a tense situation into an incredibly awkward one Darcy thought to herself. “Sorry Thor, once again, pregnancy brain. So, you have a niece?”

By the time Thor had finished telling the tale of Hel’s creation Darcy had completely forgotten about ‘she who shall not be named,’ and her baby shower registry was complete!

* * *

Darcy was doing a little digging online when Bucky walked into her workspace in the lab. 

“Morning Doll.” 

“Bucky!” she jumped in her seat, frantically minimizing her web browser and pulling up a spreadsheet.

“You OK, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Yep, I’m good! What are you doing here, aren’t you and Steve usually beating each other up right about now?”

“Usually” he said, leaning a hip on the side of her desk. “Steve’s running into the city, just you and me for the day.”

“The city, we were just there last night.” Darcy winced, without Steve to distract him, Bucky tended to hover, and she couldn’t do any research with him looking over her shoulder.

“New York City, probably needs to check with Stark.”

She must have let her face fall, because Bucky stood up quickly, and moved to comfort her. “Hey, he’ll be back for dinner, you sure you’re OK?”

She wasn’t OK. Steve was hours away, but Bucky was here. He had been able to protect her in the past. She felt like her heart was going to hammer it’s way out of her chest. She had woken this morning with a terrible gnawing fear. Sometimes she hated being pregnant.

“I’m fine, pregnancy hormones. You know, they just go all over the place no matter what I’m really thinking.”

“You sure, you were pretty scared last night. Something I need to worry about?”

Darcy hung her head, this wasn’t going to work. “Take me back home.” she whispered, and he did.

Once Bucky had her tucked away in the apartment, she felt better. She slumped against him, “You know what soldier, you are pretty lucky, you were born a beta, and if anything you’re an alpha now and you’re a dude, which means you don’t have the crazies in your head!”

“Is all of this because of the baby?”

“Yes, no, maybe. It’s like there is this part of me that I didn’t even know existed. Don’t tell Steve, he’d take it the wrong way. I don’t know if all the change was because he bonded with me, or because I’m knocked up.”

“Don’t say it like that, knocked up. Those words, they make it sound like it’s a bad thing, this baby is unexpected, but it’s a good thing, right?”

“It is a good thing, I always wanted to be a mom. I wanted a family of my own so bad, when I found out I was pregnant, I was so happy. I was terrified, totally, but I was happy too. Really happy. ”

“You don’t talk about your family.”

“My mom was an alpha. And not like Steve, she didn’t hesitate to boss me or anyone else around. She was mean, and controlling, and I hated her. Yeah, so alpha mom sucked...it’s why I never ever looked at any alpha’s as potential partners before.” she paused, taking in his confused face, “I’m adopted, stop gawking.”

“I was gonna say...”

“Yeah, I know it’s weird, don’t Google it, you’ll get into some crazy transgender/designation porn stuff.”

He huffed a laugh, “Sure thing doll.”

“OK, I need to shake it off, dance with me?”

“Yes ma’am.”

* * *

When Steve got back Darcy immediately cornered him. Bucky had been growling at the TV all night. The evening news had been showing the gruesome murder of former NFL player and for whatever reason it really upset Bucky.

“Steve” she squeaked when he pulled her into an embrace. 

“Missed you too sweetheart.” he said, kissing her before dropping down to his knees and placing another kiss to her belly. “Did the little bug behave while I was gone?”

“Huh, oh, yeah, the Bug was fine, but Bucky isn’t.”

“What do you mean, oh, I see.” Steve tensed when saw the photo displayed on the screen.

The newscaster that had been ruining her entire evening began his schpiel about the gruesome murder. “Thomas Brantley, found dead this afternoon. The all star quarterback from Alabama had moved to New York to play for the Giants in 2014...” Steve turned off the TV.

“Did you guys know him?”

“No” they answered in unison.

Steve turned back to her and asked, “He’s been with you this whole time, all day, hasn’t he?” at the same time Bucky yelled out “Punk, we need to have a talk, outside, now.”

“What’s going on, was he Hydra?”

Her question was ignored as Bucky hauled Steve away from her by his collar. Instead of going into the hallway, Bucky had drug him to the exterior exit, she watched as he pushed Steve over the edge of the balcony before dropping out of sight after him. Her feet were moving before she even realized that she was following them.

“Stop! Darcy, go back inside now, don’t do anything until we come back.” And she did. She was choking back sobs from the force of the command. Something was terribly wrong. Steve never acted like this, but all she could do was wait, while her baby kicked his displeasure.

Ten minutes later she saw a flash out of the corner of her eye. The ground’s lights were reflecting off Bucky’s arm as he swung himself over the edge. If she hadn’t been out of her mind with worry she would have thought it was pretty hot that both her guys could jump 20 feet in the air and land that silently. They were apex predators, and her omega hindbrain loved them for it. Except right now her human brain was screaming for answers.

“Doll, you OK?”

She looked to Steve, still standing on the balcony. He wasn’t technically back.

Bucky turned back around and punched Steve in the jaw, the uppercut snapped his head back. “I told you, don’t treat our girl like that!”

“Buck, shit, I didn’t mean to. You were,” his sentence trailed off and he shoved Bucky out of the way before coming to kneel in front of her, wiping away her tears. “Darcy, what did I say, are you ok?”

“Not to do anything till you got back.”

Steve grimaced as Bucky smacked the back of his head, muttering “damn punk” under his breath before sinking into the couch beside her.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I never mean it like that Darcy. You can do whatever you want, OK?”

“What if I want to eat all the ice cream?” she couldn’t help but diffuse the situation, it was her nature, not just as an omega, humor was her first defense, always had been.

“You can have ice cream, as much as you like.” Bucky added “tonight” to the end of Steve’s proclamation and she sighed. 

“Can you tell me what was going on? Where were you today, and what’s that guy who got shot have to do with it?” her current working theory was that Steve had gone to deal with the man, because he was Hydra and/or related to her attempted kidnapping. Bucky hadn’t realized that Steve was fighting and was annoyed that he had been left out. 

“He’s the driver of the car, the one that hit us.”

“And Bucky thought you killed him for that!” 

“What? No! That he was on the road at the same time as us was a total coincidence, he got into it with his girl, and took it out on the road. It was just bad luck that he wasn’t in his right mind when he hit us. Buck and I both know that.” was Steve’s immediate reply. 

Darcy thought Bucky looked guilty, like maybe he had assumed Steve had gone off to fulfill a vendetta, she wasn’t going to push and embarrass him further for not trusting Steve. “So, why were you in New York?”

“Valentine’s Day sweetheart, I can’t tell you, it’ll ruin the surprise.” he said, kissing her on the nose.

“Oh.” There it was again, that love. It blossomed in her heart, and she could feel it echoing across the bond. 

“Now, if you’re hungry, I brought pizza back, Fromagio’s.”

“Oooo, pizza, and I still get ice cream tonight, right?”

“Yeah, Doll, tonight you get ice cream, anything else you want while I’m feeling generous?”

She turned to Bucky and slid one foot into his lap, “This one right here, I dunno, maybe it needs some rubbing…”

“Just the right foot?”

“OK, OK, don’t be so pushy, they both need rubbing.”

“I thought as much.” he said, working his hands down her calves and feet.

* * *

The following morning Darcy received a package. There was no return address, the sending post office was located within the local mall. Cash transaction. Steve had it scanned for bombs and chemical contaminants. Negative on both accounts. Bucky opened it with his left arm while holding Steve’s shield, just in case. Nothing happened, the box and contents were completely ordinary. It was a the first item on her registry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me, it is so hard to write these three, I might have been too ambitious when I picked OT3 to dive into as a first story.


	22. My Valentine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky have a special day planned for Darcy

Steve lay awake long after he and Bucky had finished talking. Darcy had been asleep the minute her head hit the pillow. She was on her side, tucked into Steve’s body. Bucky lay behind her, his hand chasing the kicks and flutters from the baby, even in his sleep.

He had gone to New York yesterday to pick up the ring he and Bucky had designed for her, and to test if he could feel her less from a distance, and if that would translate into a decrease or increase in Bucky’s sense of her. The science behind the bonds described the emotional connection like an electrical current. Too far away, and the current broke. Distance hadn’t dulled his connection, Bucky didn’t notice any difference either.

The first week after they arrived on base, after he had reinforced and supercharged his bond with her, he had spent every waking moment agonizing everything Darcy, and Bucky, did. He felt like a raw nerve until he learned he could let her fade to the background just like he had always done with his connection to them. Of course that let him completely reliant on scent, but he could handle that, if it meant he wasn’t overstepping a personal boundary.

When Steve had described what was going on to Bucky he hadn’t been angry as he had expected, instead he had been incredulous.

“What the hell do you want to get rid of that for?” Bucky responded to his hope that his newfound sense of Darcy would fade over time.

“Because, I’m spyin on her!”

“No you’re not. You just said you figured out how to let it just be ambient white noise. You are such a punk, I was getting feedback from YOU wasn’t I. Dammit you should have told me the minute you realized it.”

“I couldn’t, I was so wound up after we fought.”

“Shit, your right. I’m surprised you didn’t just run off with her again.”

“I didn’t run off with her in the first place, drop it Buck. We don’t need to rehash this, unless you have some hidden away anger that I don’t know about.”

“I didn’t, but now, you have the upperhand Steve. Someone get’s our girl, she could tell you who had her, where she was.”

“It’s not telepathic, not Wanda. And it’s not a two way street. It’s only emotions and reactions. There is no transcript, like a phone call. I can’t review her emotional interactions from the day.”

“So, you’re Deanna Troi.”

“Star Trek? I guess, maybe. It’s not like I can ask this fictional character if her experiences are similar to mine.”

“Well, you’re not getting rid of it, it isn’t going away on it’s own and I don’t know if you should tell her either.”

“I have to Buck.”

“No you don’t. It won’t do any good for her to know, there’s nothing anyone can do about it, if anything it will just upset her. So don’t tell her, at least not right now, let’s get a little more settled on the base. This is all my fault, we were fine, until I forced you to rebond her.”

“It’s not like that, you didn’t have much of a choice at the time.”

They had argued over who’s fault it was before finally agreeing that it didn’t actually matter. Steve had a heightened sense of Darcy, and Bucky was able to see it too. They now understood Bucky’s week of hovering and paranoia, where he had these feelings of dread that he didn’t understand as well as an intense need to help Darcy.

* * *

A week ago Bucky had finally relented, that yes they should tell her, and no, it wouldn’t ruin their relationship. They had planned on telling her when they officially proposed. A little sugar to make the medicine go down. That plan was shot to hell when Bucky told him about her abusive mother.

He wondered if Natasha had known all along. She had warned Darcy that he would be different, not like any other alpha she had ever known. He had thought the warning was unnecessary and counterintuitive considering the lengths she had gone to make him come home, to get him interested in Darcy in the first place. He didn’t think Darcy had told Jane, and he couldn’t see her telling Natasha either, unless she had used her ‘skills’ on the girl.

Darcy whimpered at his side, picking up on his dark thoughts. He was such a hypocrite. Faulting his team for keeping secrets and here he and Bucky were, keeping the biggest one from her.

He closed his eyes. He would make it up to her eventually.

They were going to keep it to themselves, continue to not ‘listen in’ as it were, and tell her how the bond had changed after the baby was born. She hopefully wouldn’t feel as dependent on Steve once her body wasn’t balancing itself on his hormones.

* * *

He had finally fallen asleep around 3 am, Bucky woke him at 7 so they could have her breakfast ready when she woke. Breakfast in bed had devolved into a pillow fight when Bucky stole her last strawberry.

The morning’s fun was cut short with the arrival of an unexpected package. Bucky walked the package to the labs while Steve called Stark.

“Stark, you have a minute to talk?”

“What’s up Cap? Am I allowed to complete the expansion on base yet, now that your sugar plum is all settled with you and cap jr.?”

He let the friendly barb roll over him, “Darcy received a package this morning, addressed to this building.”

“Isn’t she in mommy mode, ordering everything for her nest.”

“She is, but this didn’t come through the sorting facility at the tower. It was addressed to her, it came directly to the base.”

“You think we have a breach?”

“Looks that way.”

“I’ll get Happy on it. What’s in the package? Her first porn tape?”

“Stark, you are walking a fine line.”

“Right, your humor hasn’t completely thawed. So, you haven’t opened it.”

“Bucky’s taking it to the labs, getting it checked for chemicals and explosives.”

“Let Friday get a scan for me, maybe there will be prints on it.”

“Will do.”

Steve hung up the phone before Stark could attempt to inject any more of his special brand of humor into the conversation.

“So, we gonna see what’s inside the mystery package?” Darcy was bouncing on the balls of her feet, “You know I can’t stand a surprise!”

“Darcy, this might not be a good thing.”

“Yeah, OK, way to ruin it Cap.” she wasn’t serious though. He could smell her excitement, he bet that if he checked through the bond right now, he would see that she thought the package was from him or Bucky, that they were playing a game with her. He hated disappointing her.

“Darcy, I’m serious, it isn’t from anyone good. No one that knows we are here would highlight the fact that we are HERE.”

“You’re really worried, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am.”

* * *

They had been cautious when opening it, Darcy had teased him for being ‘Mr. Overprotective.’ He had given Bucky the shield to hold, just incase there was something else they didn’t know about.

Bucky pulled out the striped chenille receiving blanket that Darcy had fallen in love with in the store two night’s ago. She had fussed over the soft fabric, rubbing it on her face, telling them her doll’s had one just like it when she was a little girl.

Darcy assured them it was from Jane. Who else could have gotten ahold of the registry that quickly. Of course, Thor had taken her to Asgard for Valentine’s Day, so they couldn't confirm anything. Steve hated coincidences.

* * *

The reservations for the Italian restaurant in town were at 6 and he hadn’t been this nervous when he stepped into the vita-ray chamber. He didn’t know why he was nervous, they were already bonded, they were a family, marriage was redundant at this point. But, she could still say no.

When he had first bonded with Darcy, Tony had changed his phone’s ringtone to “If you like it, Put a ring on it.” Pepper, having heard the prank during New Years, had explained to him why engagement rings, and marriages were so popular now. That had led to a rather depressing conversation about blood diamonds and the commercialization of bonding ceremonies.

He was now standing outside on the lawn, letting the sun warm his face while he breathed in the crisp February air when Natasha joined him.

“It’s good you’re doing right by her. Clint is terrible with a shotgun.” she paused, “Shotgun wedding, you know when the father makes the the boy”

“I got it, that’s not new to this century.” he interrupted her.

“You two are doing everything backwards, you know that.”

“Sorry, the courting of a dame wasn’t in SHIELD’s orientation handbook.”

“I’m pretty sure Fury wasn’t worried about your love life Rogers.”

“I don’t think there is a thing that Fury doesn’t have a plan for, the love life of an Avenger is no exception.”

He shouldn’t have said that, he hated reminding her of Banner, and now he had done so on Valentine’s Day. Further proof that Captain America cannot talk to women.

“Just go and quit worrying, the ring is beautiful.” she said before leaving him shocked in the grass.

“How does she even know what it looks like.” he muttered to himself, turning to go back inside.

* * *

“She ready yet?” Steve asked Bucky when he entered the apartment.

“NO, I need help STEEEEVE!” Darcy wined from the back of the apartment.

He took his jacket off and looked to Bucky.

“She want’s you to do her hair, ‘40’s style.”

“Ah.” Bucky held out his hand, and Steve put the ring box in it before making his way back to Darcy.

His breath caught in his throat, she was sitting at the vanity had gotten for her, wearing the red dress he picked out. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders, almost reaching her waist now. It was every dream that he had ever had as a young man. Bonded to a beautiful woman, baby on the way, Bucky right there with him, every step of the way.

“You are so beautiful Darcy.”

“You’re pretty handsome yourself, soldier.”

“Can I give you a kiss? I promise not to smudge your lipstick.”

“You say that every time, and yet it always gets messed up.” she said, tapping one finger on her lips.

“Maybe I just need more practice.” he ducked his head, looking at her through his lashes.

“One kiss, then fix my hair, my arms get too tired trying to pin it up, and I’m pretty sure Bucky is getting impatient out there.”

* * *

Dinner had been perfect, but despite having eidetic memory, he couldn’t have told you what they ate or how it tasted. He had to assume that he paid the bill, the waiter didn’t come running out after them as they strolled down the street. He could tell you how the streetlights danced in Darcy’s eyes. He could tell you how perfectly Darcy’s scent complimented Bucky’s. He couldn’t tell you how much he loved them both, it was an indescribable amount.

They reached the small park and each took a seat on the bench beside Darcy. Steve knelt first.

“Darcy Caroline Lewis, the two and a half months that I’ve spent with you, really spent with you have been amazing. More than I ever dreamed possible. We want to make you happy, to love you, to the let rest of the world know how much you are cared for. You are everything I ever wanted in a woman, in a bondmate. I can’t imagine my life without you,” he reached up, brushing his fingers across the spot where he had placed the bond bite, “You are tender where I am rough, you are sweet when Bucky is” Steve stopped mid sentence when Bucky interrupted him.

“What the punk is trying to say doll, is marry us.”

Steve looked at Bucky, impatient was right, they had a speech prepared, long lines of devotion from both of them. He hung his head briefly before looking into her shining eyes.

“Darcy, will you marry us?”


	23. Eucalyptus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Girls day out, what could go wrong?

Bucky really liked the thought of being a married man. Darcy had been excited when they proposed, Steve was mad that he had gone off script, but Bucky couldn’t wait any longer. He wanted her to be his. Bonding was really between an alpha and an omega, beta’s could be part of the bond, certainly, but it wasn’t the same. And sure, with Steve tamping down on his sense of her, Bucky had the upper hand connection wise, but it wasn’t enough. Marriage on the other hand was just a piece of paper, but that paper held equal weight between all three of them. He knew Darcy appreciated equality, he had, after all, read her thesis work a lifetime ago in DC. 

Darcy had accepted the proposal with tears in her eyes (happy ones she promised). Hugs and kisses were shared between all three, followed by a wonderful evening in bed. In his opinion, Valentine’s Day had been perfect and the night was something he would never forget. 

She had shown the ring off to everyone on base, but she declined to set a date. Did she want to get married now, in a month, after the baby was born? She wouldn’t say. It bothered Bucky. Her sudden indecisiveness gnawed at his gut. Was it just that the baby was a lot to contend with right now, or was there something else lurking around the corner. He couldn't tell and Steve refused to ‘spy.’ It was distracting him, which is how he ended up losing the upper hand in his duel with Wanda.

“You are sloppy today, you never let me be sloppy.” Wanda eyed him critically. 

He only grunted in response before regaining his hold. She was working on strengthening her energy shield, he was finding weak spots and pushing through them.

“She is a woman, let her have her mystery.” still preferring to converse in her native tongue.

“I don’t like mystery.” he replied, letting the accented sounds roll of his tongue. 

“It’s rude to talk about me behind my back.” Sam Wilson said as he entered the gym.

“The bird men, they all have such big egos.” Wanda continued in Sokovian.

“No one likes a mystery.” Bucky replied.

“Whenever you two finish with your voodoo, Bucky’s little lady is looking for company in the kitchen.”

“Do you think she is making cookies?” Wanda asked, now she was speaking in Sokovian just to bother the other man.

“Probably, he smells like sugar dough.”

“I cannot smell it. But maybe I see flour on his sleeve?”

“Go on then,” Bucky said as he released his hold on her energy field, “I bet she will let you lick the bowl.”

“I will go, but I will not spy for you.”

“Didn’t ask you to,” he held her by the shoulder, “but you will tell me if I should worry about something she is hiding.”

“You worry too much, just like an alpha man.” She smiled as she shrugged his hand off and left for the kitchen.

“You do good work with her, you know. Even when you two refuse to speak English.”

* * *

The first of March had Jane and Thor had returning from an extended Valentine’s holiday on Asgard. She had been thrilled to see the diamond on Darcy’s finger and demanded a girls day out to celebrate.

He regretted the decision the minute she was out the door. Natasha was with them, he knew she could protect Darcy, but he wasn’t there. Steve wasn’t there either. And they should be, as her bondmates, they should always be close by. Anything could happen and he was too far away to do anything about it. He hated every second that she was away. 

He had been in such a funk since waving good bye to the girls that Steve had drug him to the mats to spar. For the first two hours that they were off base the bond had been humming and content. It soured so quickly that he lost focus and let Steve get a solid punch in before recovering. 

He slammed Steve into the ropes. “I can feel her, she’s not happy to be out.”

“Bucky, she’s fine.” Steve threw him off.

“We should have gone with her.” 

“No, she needs to be allowed to do things on her own.” Steve lunged.

“Even if she is upset? She could be hurting.” Bucky countered.

“She is probably just anxious.” Steve had his arm around his neck.

“Well, we should go, you can do that thing you do, calm her down.” Bucky threw Steve over his shoulder.

“I don’t do a thing Bucky.” Steve was back on his feet.

“Yes” he swung at him, “You do, that mind Jedi thing, ‘Darcy, this thing that is bothering you doesn’t bother you any more.’” They circled each other like wary cats.

“You watch too much Sci Fi.” Steve swept his legs out from under him.

“Fiction huh, it’s basically Science Fact at this point Steve.” he said, wiggling his metal fingers before pulling him down.

“Fine, but we still don’t need to go.” Steve had his right arm pinned. 

“Yeah, we do.” Steve let go, popping up before he could hit him with the left arm. Steve rarely let Bucky get a punch in with the metal arm.

“Look, the books say, it’s perfectly OK. Omega’s are fine to be away from their mates and their nests without any signs of discomfort for days at a time during the second trimester. Even in the third trimester they are fine for 6-8 hours.” Steve leaned down, offering a hand. Bucky took it, pulled Steve down and kicked him hard in the chest, flipping him overhead and onto his back.

“It isn’t OK. We should go. Don’t you feel it.”

“I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, she’s probably just picking up on you!”

Bucky growled at Steve.

“OK, Buck, but we won’t go to her, we can visit some shops for ourselves.” he said, hands up in surrender.

“Thank you. I’m gonna shower.”

“Want company?”

“No, I want to get to our girl.” He hated the hurt look in Steve’s eyes. Steve did everything either one of them asked, and all he got in return were two moody mates. “I don’t mean it like that, I just, I need to get to her.”

* * *

“Is it just me or are there a whole lot of suits in the mall today?” 

Steve didn’t reply.

“I counted 15 government style SUV’s in the parking lot when we came in.” 

“You want me to say it? You were right Buck, there is something off about the mall today.”

Bucky sighed, being right wasn't really all that satisfying. “Ask Natasha if Darcy is OK”

“You can ask her yourself, you know.” Steve answered, pulling out his phone and sending a message, Bucky assumed it was to Natasha.

Natasha did not reply, and shortly they found out why. The redhead was standing demurely with a group of other women, Jane & Wanda included, surrounded by a swat team. They were being corralled to the left of the spa entrance, Bucky didn’t see Darcy.

“Steve,” he whispered through clenched teeth, “I know you said you think it’s spying, but I’m pretty damn sure this is a situation where spying is warranted.”

“She’s fine, irritated, but she doesn’t feel that she is in any danger. She’s remembering. Nostalgia, she hates it, the anger is old, from childhood I think. It doesn’t make much sense, but she is fine.”

Bucky watched in awe as the entire field changed before him. The guns that were drawn where holstered, protesting people quieted. Everyone was relaxed. He could feel the change in the scents surrounding him. Fear was quickly being replaced by calm. The focused energy of the armed men became docile. 

Steve marched through the cluster, to the center of the operation. Bucky continued past. Steve would deal with the authorities, while he went to Darcy. She was on the other side of a partition, her scent was nearly drowned out by the spa products. He doubted a regular person would have been able to identify their spouse in the polluted air. He wanted to gag it was so strong. 

He passed a dark haired woman wearing a business suit, black slack and jacket, white shirt. He couldn’t place why she stood out to him. She smelled like the rest of the women, green tea and eucalyptus leaves. She was scrubbing her face clean, the scent of gunpowder was barely detectable in her wake. If she was a threat, he would deal with her after he found Darcy.

Bucky walked past a guard at the corner of the partition, the man simply stepped sideways granting him passage. Darcy sitting in a hard folding chair along with 3 other women he didn’t know. They were all wearing robes. Darcy had a towel in her hand, and she still had some of that green mask stuff stuck on her face. 

“Did anyone hurt you?” Ignoring the other women, he went straight to Darcy. He gathered her into his arms, holding her tight. 

“No, I’m fine.” she nuzzled into his chest, and he could feel her relax. 

“What happened?”

“We had just gotten done with our facials, next was the massage, I had changed out of my clothes. Wanda had already gotten hers, and Natasha wasn’t getting one and Jane’s room wasn’t ready, so it was just me in there.”

She stopped, and he wondered what she was reluctant to share.

“Did something happen while you were alone?”

“Oh, um no, I had put my clothes in the locker and closed it when the swat team appeared. I don’t know what they wanted, but they wouldn’t let me have my clothes. Anyone that wasn’t dressed already, they kept separate from everyone else. I guess the attempt at keeping our modesty was nice, but I would have felt a lot better if I could have stayed with Nat and Jane, even if I only had this robe on. They wouldn’t let me leave this section.”

She was holding something back. Steve had said she didn’t feel that she was in any danger, maybe it was something embarrassing.

“Where are your clothes?”

“Still back in the spa, I guess. You are never letting me out of the base again, are you?”

“Do you really want to go back out?” He pulled out his phone and messaged Natasha. 

“Right now, no, no I don’t.”

He held her, waiting for Steve and Natasha to create an exit for them. He wasn’t sure if the stress of the day was wearing on her or if Steve’s pheromones were relaxing her too, but she was half asleep by the time Natasha entered the space.

“Put these on, Rogers has everyone so subdued we can just walk right out, they won’t even notice. I’ve changed their computer records, they won’t know that we were here at all.”

He looked behind him before shrugging and asking Darcy, “They look pretty catatonic, do you mind changing right here?”

“After all the doctor appointments getting all up in my lady bits, I don’t think I even know what privacy is anymore!”

He smiled at her, nothing ever kept his girl down for long.

As he and Natasha led Darcy away he saw the same woman from before, lined up where he last had seen Jane and Wanda. She was slightly more alert than the rest, but she made no move to stop them. Natasha noticed his line of sight. 

“One of these is not like the others.” She half sung, half spoke in quiet Russian.

Darcy wasn’t paying any attention to them, she was too busy watching Wanda’s magic creep through the crowd.

“I noticed her earlier. Gunpowder, trace amount.” he replied.

Natasha turned back to Bucky. “She is wearing tactical gear under her suit. I don’t think she is a civilian.” 

Steve, Jane & Wanda joined them when they were halfway to the mall exit. Jane looked angry and tense and Wanda was staring a hole in Darcy’s back.

“Did you find out why they needed to interrupt our girl’s day out?” Darcy asked as Steve took hold of her hand.

“It seems the FBI suspected the spa is employing illegal immigrants.” 

“Unlikely, Stark’s vetted every business in town.” Natasha added.

“Well, from now on, no more gift certificates from my mom...I say we just have Stark fly in a masseuse.” Jane quipped. 

“Agreed. This was the least relaxing spa trip ever, we need a clairvoyant Avenger, can the Vision do that?” Darcy asked Wanda.

“Do we expect any resistance?” Bucky interrupted the girl’s banter when they approached the exit. He wouldn’t feel relaxed until they were back at the base. He still had one arm around Darcy, the other was ready to draw his weapon if needed.

“Should be fine. No orders were issued about stopping anyone from leaving the mall. I’ll go out first, just in case.” Steve kissed Darcy’s cheek before opening the doors.

“No one will be able to remember we were here.” Wanda said to the group before she turned to Bucky, speaking in Sokovian, “You asked me to tell you if you should worry. You should be worried about her mother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the love and encouragement! Your comments are what keep me typing when the AC is blowing down on my poor frozen fingers!


	24. Just Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy's thoughts are running away from her.

Darcy had almost forgotten about seeing her mom at the little spa in the mall. OK, more like she had pushed her sudden reappearance in her life aside in light of a far more concerning development. Steve had been suppressing their bond. She hadn’t really realized it until that day when he ‘rescued her’ from the clutches of another jack-booted government organization.

It hit her like a tidal wave. A rush of feeling and connection that she hadn’t even realized were gone until she had them back. And just as suddenly as they had appeared, they were gone. It had quite literally taken her breath away when it happened. 

She had been sitting with a few other ladies also covered in robes, reviewing the conversation with her mother when she felt it. She wanted to rub it in her mother’s face. That their bond was so strong that Steve could basically TALK to him through it. They couldn’t talk, or anything close to it really, but it felt like communicating, impressions and awareness, she could feel his state of mind. 

Five minutes later Bucky was at her side, she was getting dressed and heading out the door. Maybe 15 minutes from the time she felt it until she laid eyes on Steve were all that she got. She could almost see the bond stuttering closed again. Closed wasn’t the right word, she still felt him, she knew he was there, that he loved her, that he was angry that she had been in harm’s way, but it was no longer in that glorious technicolor it had been minutes ago.

Bucky, Steve, Natasha, and even Wanda asked her tiny little questions about her mother. Offhand remarks, leading statements. Nothing too probing. She supposed it was because she had blabbed about the woman to Bucky a week ago and now they wanted to know more. What was there to say, her mom was an anomaly. A female alpha that enjoyed using her boobs to get men to bow down to her. She was obviously sterile, but still had some small spark of a maternal drive. She had adopted a baby Darcy and raised her as her own. Nothing more need be said to on the subject as far as she was concerned.

All their needling questions were obviously starting to wear on her if her dreams were any indication. Thursday morning had her gasping for breath when she woke from an alarming dream.

She had dreamed that she was locked in the closet. Her childhood closet, the one she had been in during her first heat. She could hear her mother outside the door, just like before, calling in to her, asking if she was ok. Offering encouragements, that she was strong enough to do this alone, she didn't need any help. She had been terrified during her first heat and had locked her mother out of her room, and hid in the closet. Her mother was an alpha, and Darcy never thought that she would be able to understand. When she awoke days later, she was in her mother’s arms, dehydrated and sore from the emergency medication, something young Darcy didn’t know existed, but otherwise OK. Her bedroom door on the other hand had to be replaced. 

Last night’s dream took a more sinister twist.

* * *

_She looked around her, a pile of blankets to the right, a few bottles of water and some granola bars were placed within easy reach. The first contraction hit and the realization of why she was in a closet set in. She wasn’t in here for a heat, she was being locked in to deliver her baby. She needed to get out, to find Steve and Bucky, she couldn’t do this alone. She didn’t want to do this alone._

_She counted to 5, waiting for the pain to dissipate before climbing to her feet. When had she gotten so huge?_

_The door was locked from the outside. “Mom! Let me out! Mom, I need to get home, I can’t do this here!” Tears were sliding down her cheeks._

_“Honey, no, your body was made to do this.” Her mother’s voice was so calm, Darcy wanted to strangle her. Why didn’t she understand?_

_“I need Steve, I need Bucky!”_

_“You can do it without them, I know you can. You have always been such a strong girl.”_

_She cried out as another contraction ripped through her body.  
_

* * *

Waking up, Steve’s concerned eyes were the first thing she saw, Bucky’s concerned voice was the first thing she heard, and the little reassuring kicks from her baby was the first thing felt. She ran a hand over her belly, it was back to normal.

“I'm OK, just a dream.” She sank back, they were there, she wasn’t alone, she was safe, even if Steve had closed off his bond. 

“C’mere,” Bucky pulled her into his embrace, “You want to talk about it?”

“Nope, just run of the mill pregnancy dreaming stuff. Now, let me go, the bug requests a bathroom break.”

The door closed softly behind her, and she looked over at the bathroom’s set-up, all the additions Steve had put in before they found Bucky. ‘Steve isn’t going to leave me, he’s done everything to get me here, he made his apartment my home before I even knew what was going on…but, Mom always said alpha’s were sneaky, that I had to be careful.’ fiddling with her hairbrush she let her thoughts drift back to her mother. ‘You are just being paranoid, snap out of it Darcy Girl. Don’t let your mom scare you out of the best relationship you’ve ever had. OK, sure, it’s kinda creepy that she showed up, twice if I admit it to myself, at that mall, for NO reason at all. God, what if she has some sort of alpha mom homing abilities, is that how she always knew when I was sneaking out of the house, and where I had gone? Ugg… I don’t need her. I have Bucky and I have Steve, that is plenty. They aren’t going anywhere, they’ve proven that already.’

Finally finished with her internal monolog, Darcy came out of the bathroom and nearly collided with Steve’s chest. “Sweetheart, tell me what’s wrong?”

She wanted nothing more than to tell him about her fears. But she couldn’t make the words form. Her mother had always told her to be strong, and she didn’t want to be weak in front of Steve. 

“I’m just tired, I’m not sleeping as well as I was, the baby is practicing for the Olympics all night long.” 

Steve looked skeptical, but didn’t prod any further. “You know we are here for you, always, no matter what.” He had taken her hand, kissing her knuckle just above the ring. “I am here for you. Whatever you need.”

“I know.” Darcy answered softly. She thought that sometimes Steve seemed like a mind reader. “Carry me back to bed?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting, the holiday season caught up with me at long last!


	25. I'm with the CIA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve's trip to NYC is quickly derailed when he runs into Agent Sharon Carter.

Steve stopped short when he laid eyes on Sharon Carter. She was standing on the steps of Stark’s tower and he couldn’t imagine why. She was dressed in a sharp suit, he could assume she was armed, her posture was defensive, she smelled wary. His former neighbor, undercover agent sent by Fury, a relative of Peggy. He couldn’t imagine why she would be waiting for him at Stark’s tower, but here she was. He had seen her a few times since SHIELD’s fall and they were amiable but not overly friendly. If he was honest with himself he kept his distance because he was embarrassed. He had gone out on a limb, tried to be friendly, flirted, and been rebuffed. It stung, and looking back on the situation didn’t, understanding that she was undercover, it didn’t lessen the sting at all.

“Neighbor.” 

“Captain.” 

“If you’re here to see Ironman there is a great cafe a block that way,” he pointed the way he had come, “it has the perfect view of his launch pad.”

“I’m not here for Stark, I’m here for you.” She pushed off of the wall, attempting to match his stance.

“You should have gone through Hill.” 

“This is a personal matter, we didn’t want to involve the rest of your team.” She handed him a photo of a young dark haired girl sitting on a green sofa, she was wearing purple pajamas and holding a squirming white puppy. 

Steve tensed. “Is this blackmail?” The girl looked like a miniature Darcy, the dog matched the description of her childhood pet. 

“No, of course not, we simply want an exchange of information.”

“Who is we?”

“The CIA. The Director just wants a word with you, please.” Sharon must have noticed his hesitancy, her voice was softer when she continued, “I trusted you when you said Hydra had infiltrated SHIELD, I trusted you when you asked us to take up arms against people we have trusted for years, return the favor, trust me now,” she reached out and placed her hand on his arm, “we want the best for your family.”

He nodded, following Agent 13, Sharon Carter into the vehicle.

* * *

Steve hated leaving Darcy and Bucky alone. He didn’t know if he was entering the lion’s den, or a gracious benefactor, historically speaking, it was going to be a lion’s den. He had sent a quick text to Stark before turning his phone off completely. He wouldn’t risk the CIA, or the mysterious “we” hijacking his signal and using it to track find the base. 

The plane ride from New York to Virginia was technically short, but it afforded him plenty of time to dwell on his bondmates back home. Were they OK? Did Tony pass along his message. Did he calm them or make them unnecessarily worried? He didn’t want them to worry, he doubted that he was in danger at this point, and when it inevitably turned on him, he felt sure he could escape, even without his shield.

He took out the photo, Sharon wouldn’t confirm or deny the girl pictured was Darcy. The small dog in the girl’s arms was solid white, but he knew the pup would eventually grow into his husky markings. He looked closer at the girl, the decorations and furniture around her. Darcy rarely talked about her childhood. She said it was average, no dad, mom was a bear, the woman tried to buy her love with presents. Looking at the photo he had to agree, Darcy had been monetarily spoiled as a child. The crumpled wrapping paper lying beside her probably cost more than was ever spent on him as a child. He spent the rest of the trip thinking through the possible connections between himself, Darcy and this branch of the government.

* * *

“You really are more than I ever expected for her.” 

Steve was standing in an office, large windows reminiscent of his last meeting with Pierce, suspicion crawled up his spine. The woman who addressed him was attempting to gain dominance. She wore a tailored black power suit and a dark red blouse. Her dark hair was pulled into a severe bun and no perfume could mask her unnatural scent. She stood with her back straight, watching Steve’s reflection in the glass. She was a predator, a jungle cat on the prowl, one that he recognized.

“Expected for who Director Lewis?” Steve asked. Agent Carter had chauffeured him from the airport to the headquarters of the CIA, led him past security, and deposited him in front of an office on the 23rd floor. Her only words had been ‘Director Lewis is expecting you.’ as she opened the door. He doubted the name and possession of Darcy’s likeness as a child could point to anything other than familial ties. Of course, this could be another subterfuge, an attempt to exploit his bond.

“Do you want to know a secret Captain?” she continued, “I know there is no proof, but my family always believed that your boy liberated my great aunt Jackie.”

“I don’t think I follow.”

“November 22, 1963.”

“The Kennedy assassination?” Steve answered, wondering if it was a prerequisite that all directors misdirect their guests.

“My my, you do know your history, or is it your future?” she turned to face him finally before continuing, “My family always believed that whoever pulled the trigger was a saint. Kennedy might have been good for the country, but he was a terrible husband. This world, it’s a dangerous one. Your boy is strong, nearly indestructible I imagine, he would be the perfect mate. Is he the perfect mate Captain?”

He frowned wondering what her angle was, why show him a photo of Darcy as a child only to focus in on Bucky. “I’m sorry ma’am, but none of my bondmates match the description of boy.”

“You are smart Captain. Smarter than most would give you credit for I think. I appreciate that, almost as much as I appreciate the sergeant's ruthless methods when dealing with a threat. Your boy, your mate, Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, Bucky to his friends. Presumed dead, and much like yourself, he turns up some 70 years after the end of the war.”

“What is your interest in Sergeant Barnes?” 

“To welcome him to the family of course.” She smiled then, white teeth gleaming. “When I saw that he had taken an interest in my girl, I was beyond thrilled. She would never trust someone I sent her way, but someone that came to her rescue, well, she always loved playing the damsel in distress. They are perfect for each other, and then there is you.”

Steve bristled at the accusation that Darcy liked being a damsel in distress, she was strong willed and self sufficient. He had fought hard to be allowed the honor of being her alpha. He wanted to defend her, but he couldn’t yet. Not until he knew what this Director wanted.

“Oh captain, do relax, you will get frown lines if you keep furrowing your brow like that. I am not your enemy here. I am not one of those fire breathing mother-in-laws. I am rational, practical and I will do anything, use any of the resources at my disposal to see that my daughter is safe and happy. I think that you and I have that in common.”

She paused her monologue, picking up a framed photo as she made her way around the desk. She handed it to him.

“That is Darcy, 18 years old, I am standing beside her at her high school graduation. She never knew what I did for a living and I doubt any stories of her childhood cast me in a forgiving light.” She looked into his eyes, “Do you at least believe that I am her mother?”

He inhaled, she was calm, resigned, he wished he could hear her heartbeat, it would give him a better idea of her honesty. “Suppose I do, why have you called me here?”

“As I said before, this is a dangerous world. My family is an old one. My mother married into the Polish royal family. My aunt was one of the most famed First Ladies of the United States. Judging from your stance you won’t be volunteering any information. Can you at least confirm that Darcy told you that she was adopted?”

“She’s mentioned it.”

“Darcy’s parentage is a secret. One that I have been protecting her from all of her life. It means I had to make hard calls, some that she couldn't accept, others that she didn't understand.”

“Why aren't you explaining this to her?”

“How can I? You have her secreted away, not that I would ask you to compromise that safety for a family reunion.”

“Haven't you though? You were there, at the Northwoods mall in February.”

“Tut Tut Captain. She was in public, and if I recall, you and your boy arrived in record time.”

“Why were you there?”

“Joint task-force between the CIA and the FBI. Quite fortuitous really. I needed two things that day. I needed to see how my baby girl was doing, with my own eyes, and I needed to see how fast your reaction time was, how you handled yourself in a situation that you couldn’t fight your way out of. I have to say, I’m impressed.”

“You set the sting up in advance, did you know she was going to be there?”

“What kind of mother would I be if I couldn’t tell when my daughter needed a little spa time?”

“You are avoiding the question. How did you know where Darcy would be? How are you tracking her now?”

“You want me to share my secrets with you?”

“Trust is a two way street.”

Director Lewis sighed and took a seat behind her desk before continuing. “Natalie Rushman is popping up in too many places these days. ”

“Ms. Rushman was not how you found her.” Steve knew that Natasha had abandoned the Rushman persona after the fall of SHIELD. If this woman didn’t start offering up real information he was going to walk out of her office.

“Not entirely, Foster helped. Well, her loving mother helped actually. Suggestion is such a powerful tool.” her gaze turned hungry for a moment, “You could do so much more with your, shall we say talents in that regard I’m sure.” Director Lewis paused, seeming the recenter herself, “I knew because I had a gift certificate sent to Jane’s mother, one that would be perfect for her daughter. It was easy enough to track and find the appointment when it was created.”

“You want me to believe that you have Darcy’s best interests at heart?”

 

“You feel it don’t you? That need to protect your child. Just wait until you hold the little tyke in your arms. They say the average man would murder an entire city block to save his offspring, I imagine you would burn down the world.”

Steve didn’t like the malicious gleam in her eyes, he was tired of her games and just wanted answers. “How much have you burned down for her? That sting you orchestrated had no results. I doubt that was the first time you’ve harmed innocent civilians.”

“Would you like a list? I have been protecting her all of her life. It was so easy when she was a child, a whisper and a donation to the school board and the bullies were being shipped off. She was a rebellious teenager but that fight, so unexpected in an omega child, served her well. Those boys deserved to be taught a lesson. She had a big dog at home and a taser in her purse when she left for college. Then she crashed into your world, left the States all together and you let us all know that Hydra was back. We have all had to batten down the hatches as it were. I've had a tail on her as often as I could. The night Darcy was almost kidnapped, I had a sniper on the roof in position to protect her. Why? Because Thor was partying with Tony Stark leaving both of the girls vulnerable. I shouldn’t have worried, but I didn’t realize Darcy’s relationship with Sergeant Barnes had continued after DC. I take full responsibility for that mistake, your boy spooks easily and I wanted to remove any obstacles from his path to courting her. My intel wasn’t correct which cost Agent Jackson his life. I do regret that. The sacrifice was not in vain, your boy got her to safety and went off to utterly decimate the threat to my little girl. I couldn’t thank him personally, but I could clean up the mysterious murder case that was left in his wake. The driver that hit you? He was a loose thread in a much larger plot that I am still uncovering. I don't lack for enemies, and I won't have a thread that they can pull. I'm sure he was a good man, but I will do anything to protect my family.” Director Lewis closed her mouth abruptly, her eyes widening in shock.

“Thank you Director Lewis, I think I finally understand you.”

“Well done Captain. I wasn’t aware that an alpha could influence another alpha in that manner. You wouldn’t have to burn the world down, we would do it for you.”

“That seems a bit dramatic Director. Captain America simply inspires people to believe in Truth, Justice and the American Way.”

She laughed then, the first honest reaction she had displayed all afternoon. “Call me Dianna, we have a lot to discuss.”


	26. A Dreamwalker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky tries to suss out what's been bothering Darcy while Steve is New York.

“Bucky!” 

Bucky looked up from the crib he was assembling as Darcy leaned in around the doorframe. 

“Bucky, come here, look at this! Jane found a tiny Captain America onesie!”

“It has a cape. Steve doesn’t wear a cape.”

“Well, it’s not accurate, but it is cute! C’mon you gotta admit that.”

“Yeah, it’s cute doll. Cute as you. Now, are you going to show me every item that Jane sent, or do you want me to finish this.” he said motioning to the half built crib.

“Hmm...being bob the builder can wait. Come look at this stuff. Who knew the Swiss had such adorable baby clothes.”

“Alright then, show me the goods.” Leaving the crib for a later day was easy. Darcy couldn’t abide a stranger touching her babies things (he thought it best to not mention the manufacturer probably had people touching it) which meant they had to assemble it. He’d rather have Steve’s help anyway, the instructions and tiny packets of screws were obviously designed as a form of torture. 

He was glad for the diversion of Jane’s presents. Her dream this morning had worried him. From what he could tell, she had dreamed herself in labor and stuck in Manhattan with a surly cabbie. Her pained whimpers and cries had been an entirely different form of torture. Everything he read online had agreed that the third trimester brought on dreams of giving birth, but no one else’s seemed to be focused on the painful aspects like Darcy’s were. Wanda had warned him about her mother, and immediately she started having these terrible dreams. He couldn’t help but think they were connected.

“Look, she found a BUCKY BEAR!”

“A what?”

“A Bucky Bear, Captain America’s teddy bear!” At Bucky’s blank look Darcy continued. “It’s from some children’s comics. You don’t like it?”

Doubting it would go over well, he stopped himself from saying that the bear wasn’t anatomically correct. “I like it just fine Darce. It’s good that the little bug will have some friends his size.”

“Well, there’s always a little farmer Nate, he’s going to be what, six months older than our little guy?”

He thought about that. Clint’s family was completely isolated, theoretically safe from the dangers of being affiliated with SHIELD, the Avengers and everything else this life drug onto your doorstep. The trade off was that they had to live without Clint in their lives so often. He figured Darcy was safer in the eye of the storm than sitting on the outside where he would have to fight to get to her.

“Six months and a million miles away.”

“I don’t think it’s a million miles.”

“Might as well be if we don’t know where it is.” 

“Steve knows!”

“Contrary to popular believe, Steve doesn’t know EVERYTHING.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s one of his stats on the trading cards.”

“Omniscience?” He smirked at the thought.

“Ooo, big word Barnes.”

“You’re impressed. Admit it.”

“I admit nothing!” 

He smiled as she went back to digging through the enormous box, even if her nights were often fraught with unpleasantness, she rebounded quickly enough during the day.

* * *

Bucky looked at the sleeping form of Darcy and dialed Steve’s cell. Steve’s quick trip to see Stark yesterday turned into a two day affair when he was pulled aside by another ‘trusted source.’ Steve’s original message that he was going off grid had alarmed Bucky, 7 hours later Steve had called, explained that he was following up on a lead and that he wasn’t in any danger, no need to worry and he would be home sometime tomorrow (today). Bucky had spent the day alternating between worrying about the kind of trouble Steve could get into while investigating Darcy’s mother and convincing Darcy that he wasn’t worrying about anything and avoiding explaining what Steve was doing in the first place. He had hoped that a busy day would tire her out enough for a dreamless sleep. Obviously not, as her thrashing had woken him almost an hour ago. Steve picked up on the second ring.

“Steve, you need to come home.”

“What’s wrong?” 

“I can’t wake her up.”

“Why are you trying to? It’s 3 AM.”

“Those dreams she’s been pretending we don’t notice, she’s in one right now. I can’t wake her up.”

“Let me see if I can settle her, if I do, you need to get her to talk while I’m down here. She opens up to you more.”

“If you can’t, you need to come home, forget whatever new lead you are following up with.”

“I know Buck, call me if she doesn’t wake, or at least calm down.”

“Roger that.”

He heard the connection close and felt Steve opening the bond, Darcy instantly stilled beside him.

“C’mon doll, come back to me.” he whispered in her hair.

Her eyes fluttered open, Steve’s name was on her lips. The punk had done it, he was dreamwalking, saving her from her nightmares.

“Hey,” he let her snuggle into him, “you were havin’ another bad dream, you wanna tell me about it?”

“I’d rather just have cuddles.”

“C’mon, tell me what’s goin’ on in that pretty head of yours.”

“It’s nothing, just an overactive imagination.”

“Was it Hydra? Those thugs...”

“No, it’s stupid, totally stupid, I was just in New York.” she gave him a half shrug while sinking further into the covers.

“In the city? Where you inside or outside.”

“You’re going to think I’m stupid.”

“No I won’t, you need to let me know, if something is making you afraid you should tell me so I can fix it for you.”

“I don’t think it’s anything you can fix. Just crazy dreams where I’m alone.”

“You aren’t alone.” he said, tightening his grip around her small frame. “What happened? You were muttering, that you couldn’t do this here. What couldn’t you do?”

“It doesn’t matter, it won’t happen like that anyway.”

“What won’t happen?”

“I won’t be alone, you will know, right, you’ll be able to tell? You’ll be able to find me and help me.” The pleading look she was giving him broke his heart. He didn’t understand why this was coming back. She shouldn’t be afraid of them leaving anymore.

“I will always find you. Always. Now, what brought this on?”

“It was pretty at first. White snow everywhere, even though I know this is going to be a summer baby. And then, I wasn’t in the park, I was in some alley with sludgy snow and all I could think was that I was going to have the baby all by myself in some alley, and you and Steve wouldn’t be able to find me, because I wasn’t at home.”

“Have you had this dream before?”

“Not this exact one, I don’t think. But I’ve had a couple other ones where I’m trapped and stuff…Why do I keep dreaming about these things?”

“I don’t know doll. Did read something or has someone said something to you in that lamaze class?”

“No, not really...I don’t know.”

She was avoiding something, and he hated that she felt she had to with him. “You can tell me, is it me? Is it Steve?”

“No! You guys are the best. Best a girl could ever hope for, you know. So, don’t freak out, and don’t call Steve, ‘cause he’s out, doing Captain things. But, when I was at the spa, my mom was there. Don’t ask, I don’t know how she knew I would be there, let’s chalk it up to mom-dar. You know, like radar, but for moms. Anyway, she was going on and on about how great I looked, and how excited she was that I was going to have a child of my own, that I was so taken care of, and then she stopped being gushy and got so serious. She said, ‘Darcy, you are so beautiful and strong, but you aren’t strong enough for everything life is going to throw at you. If you ever listened to anything I said, please listen to this: You can’t afford to be alone, don’t ever let them leave you.’ I guess it got me, you know, thinking about you guys leaving me.”

“We aren’t going to leave you.”

“I know, my head knows, my heart is paranoid. Everyone, besides my mom has always left me.”

“Not everyone. Me ‘n Steve, we are here to stay. And Jane didn’t leave you.”

“But Steve....”

“Steve what?”

“I don’t know, he’s ummm…” she paused and he knew she was rethinking her answer, “In the dream, Steve came in at the last possible second, scooped me up and transported me home. Not a real transporter, a la Star Trek, but like dream transport where you are one place then another and it makes sense in dreamland, but in the waking world it doesn’t compute. And then I was waking up in your arms.” She ducked her head into his chest and he could smell the tears before they started falling. Taking a breath and gathering her resolve she finally whispered “Dream Steve is open. Real Steve isn’t anymore.”

He wanted to tell her so badly why Steve was holding himself apart, he thought it would alleviate so many of her fears. He swallowed thickly, “He doesn’t mean to. He’s just cautious. He doesn’t want to influence you. That night, when he told you to go inside, it scared him, scared both of us honestly.” 

“Anyway, like I said, it’s just stupid girl emotions getting in the way of either of us getting a good night’s sleep.”

“You want me to talk to the punk? Get him to bring some extra flowers and chocolates when he comes home?”

To his utter dismay, Darcy started crying in earnest then. “Hey, hey. What did I say.”

“Nothin, you’re just so perfect, and I’m just tired, and I have to pee.”

“Alright, up we go.”

His mind was made up, everyone was laying all their cards out on the table. He didn’t know what alarmed him more. That Wanda had him warned about Darcy’s mother or that Darcy felt it necessary to hide the meeting from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me, I love the comments I have gotten, and I really do appreciate them all!


	27. Through the Looking Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy is stuck in a nightmare.

Darcy became aware of her mind, her body, her history, her situation all at once. She was lying on hard packed earth looking up at a dry stormy sky attempting to disguise the alien starscape. She might not have even existed prior to this moment. The wind was cold, blowing loose bits of rock into her face. Svartalfheim. Well, this matched Thor’s description of the dead planet. 

“Steve!” She called out, hoping that she wasn’t alone on this terrible planet. “Bucky! Anyone?”

Rolling over she took stock of herself. She was cold, but not in danger from exposure. The twinges in her back were concerning, but not her biggest problem. She needed to find Steve and Bucky. Higher ground. She needed to get to higher ground. She needed to get out of danger.

“Steve?” she tried again, her yells becoming whimpers as she made her way to the incline leading out of the canyon.

Walking. She wanted to run but she couldn’t. She had been walking for hours or days. Was she making any progress getting to higher ground? Carrying on a one sided conversation helped keep the terror at bay.

“Steve, Bucky! Please, you guys really need to find me soon. I’m getting kinda worried here guys. Not gonna lie. It’s not cool to leave your heavily pregnant lady on a dead planet. Alone. Not cool at all.” 

Resting, she was just going to rest for a few minutes. Back to a rock, that way the danger couldn’t get her from behind. Then she would continue trying to get to higher ground. Except her legs felt like jelly, she didn’t think she would ever get back up.

“Yeah, guys, you need to hurry up and find me. Cause, I’m scared, and just please!” her voice was rising in pitch, she sounded frantic as she called out for Steve and Bucky.

She was in danger, she knew it, every fiber of her being felt it.

“Oh my god!” she gasped as her body betrayed her the twinges in her back escalating to alarming levels. “STEVE! Please, BUCKY where are you!” 

She would have laughed if she wasn't in so much pain. This was the worst place she could be, it was ridiculous to think this was happening. Darcy Lewis, omega with two mates, one full time alpha and one alpha/beta mix and she was alone and going to give birth on a desolate planet. 

“Darcy!” She could hear her name above the constant wind echoing around the canyon.

“Steve?” It had to be Steve, she could feel his comforting presence. “Steve!” she yelled a second time, reaching her right hand in the air waving it frantically.   
Steve was sliding down the ridge calling out to her. He was wearing his dark navy blue stealth suit, sans helmet. It was her favorite. He called out her name again when she curled inwards as another contraction moved through her body.

When she lifted her head, his massive frame was all she could see. She was safe, he would keep the danger away. 

“Darcy, what's going on.” She could feel his concern, love and strength pouring through their bond. It was a balm to her soul. 

“I don't know.”

“Why are we here. Are you hurt?”

“Not hurt exactly. Steve, we need to get out of here. I think I’m in labor.”

“You can’t be, it’s not time.”

“Yes.” She bit out. Why was he so dense sometimes. “Trust me, it’s time.”

“You can't be, you shouldn't be. You’re only 7 months along.” 

“Obviously not, this baby is coming whether you are ready for him or not.”

“You’re dreaming Darcy.” He was shaking his head, and she tried to focus on what the bond was telling her, but she couldn’t.

“I wish I was.”

“No. Listen to me you are dreaming. Think, think about this morning, what did you do this morning.”

She really wasn't listening to him. He was in denial. They were in a hostile environment, no escape. It was so unlike Steve to not want to face a problem head on.

“Where is Bucky?”

“He can't come through. Darcy, you need...”

She couldn't hear anymore of what he was saying. She just cried out in pain, gripping the straps of his uniform. 

“Darcy, is this what you have been dreaming about every night? Why didn't you say something.”

“Steve, the baby, it's coming, now!”

“No it's not! Darcy! You need to wake up.”

“Should I push now, I think I need to push.” She didn’t know what to do, her body was supposed to tell her, it was supposed to be automatic, but nothing about this was right. She knew it wasn’t right, just like she knew there was danger when Steve wasn’t with her.

“Darcy, just breath, OK. I’ll get us out of here. I’m going to pick you up, and then you are going to wake up.”

She wanted to wake up, he had told her to. But she was already awake. There was no way she could sleep through this. 

“I already am awake Steve. You need to count the time on the contractions, that’s your job since Bucky isn’t here.”

“Just focus on your breathing, OK, I’ve got you, I can take care of you. Bucky’s waiting for us on the other side.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to make it.” She bit down hard on one of the straps on his uniform. No one had told her it would be this painful. He had been carrying her for hours or days, she couldn’t tell anymore.

“Sure you will sweetheart. Just breath, in and out.” He set her down again, kissing her forehead before taking a step back. “I’ll be right back, OK.” 

And then he was gone.

“STEVE!!!” She cried out his name, hoping that he would come back. She didn’t want to be alone. “STEVE, Please, I’m sorry, come back!”

And he did.

She wasn’t on the cold hard ground anymore. The alien sky didn’t seem as threatening, the wind was warmer too. Steve had her, she was sitting in his lap, leaning against his naked chest. She could feel the his warm skin through the thin dress she was wearing. His bare arms were bracketing her body and leeching the tension out of her distressed body. Darcy finally felt safe.

* * *

Her eyes shot open, and she inhaled the scents of both her bond mates while shaking off the last vestiges of the dream. 

“You were there!” She challenged Steve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, nearly this whole chapter was inside a dream. As someone who has frequent, recurring night terror type dreams, I really wish someone could come in and grab me out of them.../sigh.
> 
> I hope this chapter wasn't too strange to read. There is no continuity of time and place in a dream which is really hard to write!


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